Germany's Boateng seeks switch to Ghana

Germany Under-21 midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng wants to take advantage of a new FIFA ruling and switch allegiance to play for Ghana, Sport Bild magazine reported on Wednesday.

"Now I want to develop further myself with Ghana," Boateng told the German magazine. "This is the next step."

"I will now play for Ghana," the 22-year-old revealed on Wednesday.

"I have contacted the leaders of the Ghana Football Federation about this.

"I made this decision myself. I wanted to get through to the German national team but it did not work out. I have tried everything." The 22-year-old Boateng, who has a Ghanaian father, has been capped 41 times at junior levels by the Germans but never made the senior national team squad.

His career has stalled since his move from Hertha Berlin to Tottenham Hotspur in 2007 and he played the end of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund.

The new FIFA ruling abolished the age limit for players with dual nationality, in certain circumstances, to change national teams.

Boateng had an offer to play for Ghana before the 2006 World Cup in Germany but he turned it down in order to pursue a senior team place with the country of his birth. But after three years of waiting and dwindling fortunes at club level the youngster wants to concentrate on the Black Stars.

"I have decided to leave my dreams of playing for Germany not out of anger,” Boateng said.

"There are no negative reasons for the decision as I see no chances with the German national team anymore. That is all."

Boateng is the grandnephew of Helmut Rahn, who scored the winning goal for Germany in the final of the World Cup as they beat Hungary 3-2.

His junior brother Jerome is the star player for Germany at the ongoing European U-21 Championship in Sweden.