Can Waris benefit from Jordan departure?

Abdul Majeed Waris, just when you thought he were slipping off the Black Stars' radar, has opted for a career move which forces him right back into national consciousness, signing for Ligue 1 side FC Lorient.

No sooner had Les Merlus cashed in on one Ghana striker—in selling Jordan Ayew to Aston Villa—than they turn to another to fill the void and fire them away from the relegation zone.

Can Waris emulate Jordan’s revival at the Stade du Moustoir, or will the forward’s litany of career misfortunes to date continue upon his return to Ligue 1?

It would be an understatement to say Waris has endured a torrid year, dating back to the 2014 Fifa World Cup.

Following a hugely successful loan spell at French outfit Valenciennes from Spartak Moscow, during which he scored nine times in 16 games of the 2013/14 Ligue 1 season's latter half, Waris was expected to play a leading role as Ghana featured at the Mundial, especially after lending a solid hand to the qualification process.

Injury on the eve of the showpiece limited Waris to only one appearance, namely the practically tasteless third group game against Portugal. That cameo was too brief—and Ghana far too poor on the day—for Waris to make any real impact.

Little did Waris —and we all—know that those summer misfortunes only preceded the horrors that the season which followed would bring.

Having sealed a transfer from parent club Spartak Moscow to Turkey's Trabzonspor, the striker struggled for form from the start, failing to find the back of the net with the prolificacy he mustered at club level in the build-up to Brazil 2014.

In an interview with Goal, Waris admitted that he took his time to adapt to the new environment of the Super Lig, but having taken to France so quickly, it was something of a surprise that he took so long to find his feet.

Many would argue that he never did.

The forward did start hitting the net with some regularity in December—albeit in cup competitions—but no sooner had he begun to gather some momentum, than his progress was halted by a muscle injury.

There had been hopes that Waris would return in time for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, but hope proved ill-placed; despite making Avram Grant’s preliminary squad—optimistically, in hindsight—the forward wouldn’t make his return to action until March.

For a second consecutive major tournament, Waris was again left in the cold, only in an absolute sense this time. His return to form and fitness didn't result in a significant surge in his fortunes, with the forward taking time to rediscover his rhythm as the Black Sea Storm chased a spot in the Europa League.

This injury could be identified as perhaps the major factor in Waris’s struggles in Turkey. Although it doesn’t completely hide the paucity of output both before and afterwards.

In all, Waris scored only four times at Trabzonspor, and never once in the league.

But the forward, aged only 23, and a player many Ghanaians do fancy as one for the future, has been handed a reprieve, another shot at the heights he once seemed firmly destined for.

A move to French top-flight outfit Lorient—curiously not Stade Rennais as had been widely speculated—could be just what the doctor prescribed for Waris to get back on track and stage a grand re-entry into Grant's plans.

There, he would help fill the slot vacated by international colleague and Aston Villa new boy Jordan (who, ironically enough, has thrived in the Stars' set-up in Waris' absence).

Jordan moved to Lorient last summer with a point to prove, with his prodigious talent in danger of being lost amidst circumstance.

He failed to make the grade at Marseille, where he struggled to escape his comfort zone and add end product to his talent, and after a loan spell with Sochaux, was cast off, with Lorient the beneficiaries.

Jordan moved to Brittany with it all still to prove, and while last year must not be glossed over as a perfect campaign for the frontman—as some have been wont to do—his return of 12 goals was pivotal in both ensuring Les Merlus remain in the top flight and securing a move to Premier League side Villa.

Could Waris follow in Jordan’s footsteps and help revive his own flagging fortunes?

Waris certainly believes a return to France, where he found success in the not-too-distant past as mentioned earlier, is just what he needs.

“The French Ligue 1 is well-organised, competitive and good,” Waris told Accra-based Starr FM.

“Life in France is nice for me. I have played in Sweden, Russia and Turkey but I love the French game and the environment,” he added.

Hopefully, France would smile at him, too, and bring better days.

As Jordan has proved, hope springs eternal at Lorient. Over to you, Waris…