Abdul Fatawu Issahaku: African rising star signed by Sporting

We are in the middle of the silly season, but the market has not moved much (Euro in progress, financial fair play, and waiting for the new semester to know the SAD´s accounts)… but today it did!

The news of the day is the definitive signing by Sporting of the U20 African Cup of Nations MVP – Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, the 17-year-old Ghanaian (born in 2004). He played for Steadfast FC in the second division of Ghana and ended the tournament with two goals and an assist.

Fatawu Issahaku is a player nominated for leonine scouting, in a movement similar to what the club did for Plata, that is, young players who emerge in major youth competitions where there is a risk but also a great possibility of sporting success and financial return.

A first look at the player can indicate that he is a winger, preferably on the right-wing and that he tries very hard to dribble, with a lot of confidence in his abilities. He has a huge irreverence, due to age, but it has a long path of improvement, especially in decision-making.

What immediately stands out in a first analysis to the player is his shooting ability, not only for his power but also for his precision. We can sum up for those who don't know, that this is a winger who likes to dribble and shoot whenever he has the opportunity and with a very good acceleration capacity.

Context

Although the totality of the business's contours is not yet known, due to its age and the current competitive context (2nd division of Ghana), we have to foresee that this young African pearl can come to Sporting's B or sub23 Team.

The player's potential is notorious: Can Sub20 MVP, quality dribbling, and shooting ability (reminiscent of former player Leonino Emmanuel Amunike in this chapter), but in a realistic analysis, the current context is very different from the Portuguese first league, so your apprenticeship will pass through Alcochete in one of the teams that precede the rise to the main Leo squad.

It should be noted that not all of the great African promises in this competition reach a high level in world football, it takes a set of many factors for this to happen and sometimes talent alone is not enough.

How to define young IssahakuStyle of play – The young Ghanaian is clearly a right-winger, who likes to catch the ball at his foot and then face off against his opponents, using his left foot to cut in or sprint across the line.

The player who has space and time to have the ball is dangerous in transition, either by the ability to progress or bypassing or dribbling. It remains to demonstrate and grow in the game against lower blocks where you will have to evolve and improve the ability to play in short spaces.

Positioning 

Its positioning is still very “green”, as a result of its competitive context. It usually involves leaning on the line waiting for passes on the foot of your teammates and then playing your game. 

There is still a lot to improve in this aspect, especially in the way you should position yourself between the lines, even to receive the ball closer to the more central areas and closer to the goal, in order, then, to take advantage of your beautiful shot.

Passing – Has good passing technique and game vision, although there are still visible gaps. Some passes are made with excess force or after a dribble, where it is clear that sometimes the decision is not the best one.

Dribbling – Issahuku has a great ability to dribble, either by his left foot technique or by his ability to explode. Despite his short stature, when he moves the ball forward and rocks, he is a difficult player to stop, he benefits from his low center of gravity to vary direction and thus deceive his opponents. 

Don't think that you can't use your weaker foot – the right – you know how to use it well, whether in passes or at reception, helping to prepare the dribble to the left or to the right.

Shooting

It is one of the main attributes of the young Ghanaian, perhaps the most surprising. Great shooting capacity, both in power (“cannon foot”) and in efficiency.

The shots from a distance are extraordinary for a 17-year-old, which makes this quality unique for a quick winger like him and which can greatly enhance his value as it could mean goals. The ability to shoot at set-pieces is also noteworthy.

Conclusion

Abdul Fatawu Issahaku is a young man with talent and immense potential, being elected MVP of Can Under20 is an achievement in itself and the interest shown by several clubs (such as Liverpool) only confirms his full potential. Its main characteristics, such as the explosion, dribbling, and shooting, will be fundamental to be able to impose itself when it reaches Alcochete and demonstrate its value.

Hiring endorsed by Scouting Leonino is a risky bet, like all bets on 17-year-olds, but it fits in what sustainable scouting can and should be: bet on young people with talent and potential at a fair cost that can pay off either sportingly and financially in the future.

There are aspects to improve, aspects that must be worked on and external factors that sometimes make not everything goes well in a bet of this type. But as Ruben Amorim says: “And if it goes well? "

By Jaoa Castro/ Pro scout Football Consulting