Chinese check out Nii Lamptey

The amazing career of former Ghanaian teenage prodigy Nii Lamptey has taken another twist with a move from the German second division to China. Lamptey, who played for Belgian giants Anderlecht at just 16, has joined former Chinese champions Shandong, based on the north-east coast.

He has already made an impressive debut, helping the team thrash Sichuan 4-0 in the last 16 of the Cup, and received good reviews in the press.

The media said his passion, skill and good linking with his team-mates made the Shandong midfield much more effective.

The 27-year-old has done well to earn a year's contract as Shandong tried out five other foreign players as they sought to fill the fourth foreigner spot in their squad.

Ghanaian media had suggested Lamptey was about to win a recall to the Black Stars side, having not played for them since a 8-2 thrashing in Brazil in 1996.

The move to China put paid to that but Lamptey's main priority is to resurrect his club career after a difficult season at German side Greuther Furth where he made only 15 appearances, and all as a second-half substitute.

He had been tipped to make a return to Belgium at relegated Mechelen, joining up with coach Aad de Mos, who brought him to Anderlecht as a precocious teenager.

Lamptey justified all the expectation at first, impressing in Brussels, helping Ghana win the Under-17 World Cup in 1991 and featuring in the senior team which got to the Nations Cup final the following year.

After a few problems at Anderlecht, Lamptey had a good season at PSV Eindhoven, but his career then went into freefall as he followed a wandering existence around the globe.

He played a handful of games at Aston Villa and Coventry in England, Venezia in Italy, Ankaragucu in Turkey, Santa F? in Argentina, Uniao Leiria in Portugal and then had two seasons at Greuther Furth.