MTN Soccer Academy star wanted by top European clubs

Three Ghanaian aspiring footballers could be schooling and playing football in Europe within some few weeks on the tickets of any of the many clubs who are after their respective signatures. 2009 MTN Soccer Academy final 14 teammate Philip Adu-Poku, Ashanti Regional U-17 football team player Ernest Opoku and Aspire Academy selectee Evans Addae-Mensah will soon fly out to join the club of their choice’s academy.

The teenagers have been so impressive in their inter-schools football competitions in the Ashanti Region that scouts of top clubs in Germany, Belgium, Austria and Italy are chasing them. These clubs have been alerted on the talents of Adu-Poku, Opoku and Addae and are convinced that a swoop for them at this tender age of their careers will be a good gamble. The clubs have variously offered mouthwatering packages for the teenagers and have assured that while on training they will be doing their schooling as well.

The FIFA player’s agent of the trio is studying the proposals and will settle on the right one within the coming days. According to reliable sources, the players’ agent who is based in England wants to take a good decision since it’s the players’ futures at stake here.

14 year old Philip Adu-Poku is not nicknamed Christiano Ronaldo for nothing. Having made the final 14 of a the TV reality show that started with over 70,000 applicants in Ghana and Nigeria, 5ft 10 Adu-Poku impressed all during his stay in the MTN Soccer Academy house, the celebrated Ghanaian footballer and coach Ibrahim Sunday remarked that the Offinso College of Education student “has a future in football and will go places.”

Speed, skills, footwork and aggression are his attributes but Adu-Poku admitted that the Soccer Academy helped him also imbibe giving quick passes and not hang too much on the ball. Before his MTN Soccer Academy heroics however, Adu-Poku had been a discovery in the 2008/09 Ashanti Regional U-14 tournament where he won gold.

Tall, lanky Ernest Opoku is currently a member of the Ashanti Regional Inter-schools U-17 team having previously won silver in the inter-schools U-14 of 2008/09 when he was also named best midfielder. The 15 year old defensive midfielder is known for his untiring midfield work rate and delivery of decisive and accurate passes, hence the nickname Essien.

Born on March 7, 1994, genius in the offing Evans Addae-Mensah is the third of the Ghanaian teenagers sought by top European clubs. Popularly called Yaya Toure, he has already won gold during the 2008 Inter-district football tournament and was selected by Qatar-based Aspire Academy during their tour to Ghana in 2008-09 to hunt for players.

A combative midfielder who is lethal with both feet, Addae-Mensah is not just a ball winner, he also passes it very well and his desire to surge forward is a delight to watch.