Sports News of 2026-09-09
‘We are too fast to sell our players’ – Mahama warns of talent drain in Ghana Premier League
President John Dramani Mahama has called for Ghana to find ways of retaining promising young players in the domestic league for longer, warning that the early export of talents is weakening the local game.
Speaking during a courtesy meeting with representatives of Medeama Sporting Club, Nations FC and Ampem Darkoa at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, Mahama said Ghana was too quick to allow emerging talents to leave the country once they attracted the attention of scouts.
“We are too fast to sell our players. As soon as a player starts to show some promise and then the scouts pick him and take him away,” he said.
According to the President, the trend is gradually depleting the quality of the Ghana Premier League because players who begin showing signs of brilliance are quickly transferred, particularly to European leagues.
“It depletes the local league, because every small talent that shows some brilliance is sent away to mostly the European leagues,” Mahama added.
He urged football authorities and clubs to explore ways of keeping emerging talents in Ghana for a longer period while giving them opportunities to gain international experience.
“We must see how we can keep them a bit longer, at least give them opportunities in the national team so at least they get experience in playing on the international platform,” he said.
Mahama believes exposing young players to international football through the national teams could help increase their value and development before they eventually secure moves abroad.
“Eventually the international scouts or our local scouts will take over,” he added.
FKA/AM
