Barcelona sign Ghanaian defender David Oduro from Accra Lions

The club praised Oduro for his speed, ability to link up with teammates, and aptitude for joining attacking plays, making him a valuable addition to their squad.

Barcelona stated that Oduro is expected to travel to Spain in the coming days to begin training, although his official signing is yet to be completed.

Oduro has already built a strong reputation in Ghana’s youth leagues, which caught the eye of several major European clubs during a recent tour. Despite serious interest from Anderlecht and Bayer Leverkusen, Oduro chose Barcelona, attracted by the club’s recognition of his technical abilities and physical strengths.

As the transfer window ends, several Ghanaian players have made notable moves that could shape their careers. From promising young talents joining top European clubs to seasoned professionals finding new opportunities. Here’s a roundup of some of the key moves involving Ghanaian players as they embark on new challenges and aim to make an impact in their respective leagues.

Salis Samed to Sunderland

RC Lens midfielder Salis Samed has joined Sunderland on a season-long loan after being dropped from Lens’ main squad. Samed, who had been training with Lens’ reserves, has so far missed out on the team’s matchday squads for the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season. Although Montpellier showed strong interest in acquiring the midfielder, it was Sunderland that provided an escape route for the Ghanaian.

Felix Afena-Gyan to Juventus

Meanwhile, Felix Afena-Gyan has slipped under the radar in recent seasons, especially after his move from Roma to Cremonese before the 2022-23 season, which was perceived as a step backward in his career. However, Afena-Gyan is now looking to revive his career, having been offered a season-long loan to Juventus. Although his exact role at the club remains uncertain—whether he will join the main squad or not—expectations are that Afena-Gyan will feature for Juventus’ youth teams.

As for Kasim Adams, the towering centre-back had hoped to join a European-qualifying squad at Servette. However, after Servette’s 3-2 aggregate loss to Chelsea in the Europa Conference League qualifier on Thursday, Adams will now have to focus on domestic competitions. The Ghanaian defender, who previously played for Young Boys, joined Servette as a free agent following his departure from Hoffenheim.

Ernest Nuamah Staying at Olympique Lyon

Lastly, Ernest Nuamah remains an Olympique Lyonnais player, although a transfer was on the horizon. Reports by Fabrizio Romano suggested that Nuamah was on the verge of moving to Fulham, but the deal fell through as Fulham opted to pursue Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson instead. Nevertheless, Nuamah’s departure from Lyon in the January transfer window has not been ruled out, as interest from other clubs continues to grow.