Birmingham City boss Harry Redknapp is believed to be closing in on a deal for Torino midfielder Afriyie Acquah.
The Blues manager and Director of Football Jeff Vetere have been in talks with the Ghanaian and his representatives for some time, and it’s hoped last weekend’s trip to Italy will bring the conclusion Blues want.
Acquah has hinted that a deal is close to completion.
Any deal is likely to surpass Blues’ record transfer fee of £6million which was paid to Valencia for Nikola Zigic in 2010.
Here’s a full lowdown on Acquah.
Who is he?
Born in Sunyani in the Brong-Ahafo Region of Ghana in 1992, Acquah began his career in the Glentoran Football Academy – established by the Northern Irish club of the same name.
As he progressed through the ranks, Glentoran attempted to sign him but work permit issues prevented a move.
After spells with clubs in Ghana, Acquah was picked up by Palermo in February 2010.
Issues around agents and third-party ownership rules arose, but he made his debut in Italian football a year later.
What happened next?
A loan move to Parma followed, before Hoffenheim shelled out around £2m to sign the midfielder on a four-year deal in January 2013.
He didn’t make a single appearance for the German club, thought, and six months later returned to Parma on loan again.
Another temporary switch followed, at Sampdoria, before he signed for current club Torino in 2015.
He’s since made 49 appearances for the club – and delivered performances which have prompted transfer links with Newcastle United and Stoke City.
How did he do last season?
Appearances: 20
Goals 2:
Yellow cards: 2
Red cards: 3
Pass success percentage: 83.4%
Average rating: 6.41
What’s his playing style?
A strong, talented and tenacious player, Acquah usually plays as a defensive midfielder in front of the defence. This is due to his pace, physicality, stamina and abilities as a ball-winner.
Although his defensive coverage stands out, he has also been used in more advanced midfield roles.
Acquah is an energetic and agile player, who has drawn comparisons with compatriot Michael Essien.
International career
Acquah has 29 caps and one goal for Ghana after making his debut against Chile in 2012.
He was part of the 2014 World Cup squad and came on as a last substitute against Portugal.
How likely is a move to Blues?
Blues are clearly looking to add more players in the middle of the park – the pursuit of Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu confirms that.
Whether they like Acquah enough to pay upwards of £7m for him is questionable.
He’s more of a destroyer than a creator, and Harry Redknapp has already recruited Cheikh Ndoye.
However, Acquah is available according to reports in the Italian press and Blues have shown they are willing to recruit from that market.
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