After Norwich City made Amankwah Forson their fourth signing of the summer, we spoke to Ghanaian football expert Owuraku Ampofo to hear more about his journey to Carrow Road.
Forson burst straight onto the scene in Ghana, playing in the country’s top flight aged just 16. Was he seen as a big talent in his home country?
He was. The league was very vibrant, a number of players were making a name. The team he was at, WAFA, produced a number of talents. A lot of midfielders we see today came through that academy.
They had that reputation where once a player starts to do well, a lot of people trust them because of the talent that has preceded them. Forson wasn't any different.
He scored in added time on his Ghanaian Premier League debut, and ended up winning the man of the match award. He announced himself to the whole of the league.
He then made the move to Austria and RB Salzburg, a big step up into Europe. How common is that for players from Ghana?
Part of the business model for WAFA was the partnership with Red Bull, so quite a number of players had been to Austria before him. But the challenge with that system was that none of them really broke through at RB Salzburg.
The good thing about Red Bull is that they enhance you as a player, even if it doesn't mean it's with them. They loan you to their affiliate clubs, they give you the opportunity to develop and then they sell you. That's their business model.
But in the 2022-23 season he became a part of the first team, and he managed to slowly grow in the ranks of the team. Last season he started 14 games and he played in the Champions League. But 13, 14 starts in the league weren't really enough for him in the league, and that's probably what triggered this move to Norwich.
Fans have already seen a glimpse of what Forson’s about, but which defining characteristics will they get used to seeing from the midfielder?
If you want to imagine the type of player Forson wants to become, one player he watches a lot is Bernardo Silva. I spoke to him earlier this year, and he says that that's someone he wants to be. He still has a lot to catch up in terms of ability, but in terms of how he wants to play, Silva's who to look at.
Immediately I look at features like quick feet, good technical ability and the ability to protect the ball. That's what Forson wants to become. He wants to protect the ball, really impact the team in the attacking third. He also loves to work really hard off the ball. He intercepts, loves to press, has a lot of energy in his game.
He started out as a 'number 10', but he can play as an 'eight' and a winger as well. But you do probably want him from that right-hand side of midfield, where he can cut in onto his left.
Given all the positive attributes you’ve mentioned and Forson’s calibre, some were surprised that Norwich were able to sign him for just £4m. Why do you think that was?
The game time, 100pc. In the end he just wants to play, and there were discussions about what his role in the team would be. He feels that he can be the main man in the team, and perhaps Pep Lijnders couldn't assure him of that.
What convinced him to join Norwich was the fact that they needed a direct replacement for Gabriel Sara. The head coach had also worked with young players at Nordsjaelland, and he loved working with Ghanaian players. There was already that connection between the two.
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