Despite recent struggles with injuries that have led to criticism, Kamaldeen Sulemana remains a forward with world-class potential, drawing comparisons to highly-rated talents like Vinicius Jr. and Jeremy Doku.
The 22-year-old Ghanaian winger began his footballing journey at the renowned Right to Dream Academy in Ghana before making a significant breakthrough with FC Nordsjaelland in Denmark—a familiar path for many young academy graduates.
His outstanding performances at Nordsjaelland earned him a move to French Ligue 1 side Stade Rennes, where early on, both fans and pundits hailed him as one of Europe's rising stars. However, Sulemana’s career has faced obstacles, including a series of injuries that have led to a dip in form and a subsequent move to Southampton for more playing time.
Tom Vernon, founder of the Right to Dream Academy, remains optimistic about Sulemana's future despite these setbacks. "I think, you know, it’s the old expression: form is temporary, and class is permanent,” Vernon told Joy Sports. “And for Kamal, like if you watch Jeremy Doku, if you watch Vinicius Jr training, their potential compared to Kamal, you’re talking about a player in the same ballpark. Obviously, in certain phases of their development, they pushed a little bit.”
Over the past season, Sulemana’s development has been hampered by recurring injuries, limiting him to 25 league appearances, with only ten starts. He ended the season with three assists but did not find the net, as Southampton faced relegation from the Premier League. Nonetheless, Vernon is confident about Sulemana's future prospects. “But, you know, with modern day football, most players will still be playing when they’re 36 or 37. So he’s right at the start of the journey still. And he has everything that it takes.”
Vernon also pointed to Sulemana’s performance in a recent match against the Central African Republic, praising his positioning and timing. “He was the one who was supposed to score. So, of course, everybody will focus on the actual finishing. But the real thing is right time, right position, and all that type of stuff. He’s a world-class player.”
Having previously played alongside Jeremy Doku at Stade Rennes before Doku's move to Manchester City, Sulemana now returns to the Premier League with Southampton, who have fought their way back to the top flight. This opportunity presents Sulemana with a chance to demonstrate his abilities once again at the highest level of English football.
