Two Ghanaian footballers are off to new destinations in a January transfer window that in its early stages has already seen a couple of notable moves for players from the country. First up is tall striker Abdul-Aziz Yakubu who is moving from Portuguese Primeira Liga club Rio Ave to African giants Al Ahly of Egypt after a successful spell in Portugal. The 24-year-old from Tamale signed a contract for four-and-a-half-years after the Red Devils paid a €2.5 million fee to Rio Ave for his services.
Aziz will have high expectations for a team that is currently in first place on the Egyptian Premier League table but eager to boost an underwhelming attack ahead of its participation in the 2022 FIFA Club World Cup and also the 2022-23 CAF Champions League group stage. Since completing his first move abroad to Vizela in July 2016, Aziz scored 23 goals in 54 appearances during his time in Portugal with an impressive 6 goals in 14 games this season for Rio Ave.
The second move comes from Major League Soccer in the United States where utility player Latif Blessing was traded from champions Los Angeles FC to fellow MLS club New England Revolution. The club based near Boston, Massachusetts spent an initial $400,000 fee to acquire the 26-year-old that could rise to $700,000.
Since arriving in the United States in 2016 after being top scorer in the Ghana Premier League at the age of 19 with Liberty Professionals, Blessing has been converted to an all-action central midfielder who has also played as a fullback and will likely return to his favored midfield position in New England. He scored 14 goals in 145 appearances for LAFC over four seasons but his role in the team was continuing to decrease, causing Blessing to request a trade for reasons on the pitch as well as off it. The 2023 MLS season will begin on February 25.
