Liverpool Beat Bundesliga Club To Sign Ghana's Wonderkid, Reds' Second Signing After Ibrahima Konate

Liverpool FC have reportedly reached a deal to sign Ghana’s wonderkid Fatawu Abdul Issahaku, who is set to become the Anfield side’s second signing of the 2021 summer.

Fatawu Issahaku, who has received attention from various European clubs such as RB Salzburg, Bayer Leverkusen, Ajax, and Borussia Dortmund, will sign a five-year deal, according to award-winning sports journalist Saddick Adams, who has a credible record in African soccer. International Business Times, however, could not verify it independently.

His asking price is expected to be around $2.1 million.

The teenage Ghanaian midfielder won’t be able to join Jurgen Klopp’s men for the next campaign due to work permit concerns and is expected to be loaned out in the meantime, according to soccer website Empire of the Kop.

Fatawu Issahaku, who is a part of Ghanaian second-tier club Steadfast FC currently, was recently inches close to signing with Bundesliga club Bayern Leverkusen. On Friday, the attacking midfielder passed his medical in a German hospital and just before his agent was about to seal the deal with Leverkusen, Liverpool made an appearance.

The former Premier League champions approached Fatawu Issahaku’s agent with a bigger offer and a much-improved personal term forced the player’s Nigerian agent to use it as leverage against Leverkusen, according to media outlet Modern Ghana. This annoyed the Bundesliga club and as a result, they withdrew from the transfer, making way for Liverpool to finish their second signing after RB Leipzig’s Ibrahima Konate.

Fatawu Issahaku captained Ghana’s U-17 national side in 2020 and also featured in the 2021 Africa Under-17 Cup of Nations Qualifiers.

Courtesy of his impressive performances, he was promoted to the Under-20 squad despite being younger than most of his teammates. He then went on to play in the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, where he scored two goals in the group stages and helped his side win the title for the fourth time in its history. He was also named the Player of the Tournament for two goals and an assist in the tournament that was held in Mauritania.