Tom Vernon, founder of the Right to Dream Academy, has made a bold comparison between Ghanaian winger Kamaldeen Sulemana and international stars Vinicius Jr and Jeremy Doku.
Despite the latter two's current success, Vernon believes that Sulemana's talent and potential are on par with theirs, even if his career progression has been hindered by injuries.
Sulemana, 22, faced a tough season last year, making only 25 league appearances and starting just 10 games for Southampton due to recurring injuries. However, he still managed to provide three assists and help his team secure promotion back to the Premier League.
Earlier in his career, Sulemana was touted as one of the world's brightest prospects, playing for Nordsjaelland and Rennes before joining Southampton.
Vernon, speaking to Joy Sports, emphasized that Sulemana's talent and potential endure beyond temporary setbacks.
“I think, you know, it's the old expression, form is temporary, and class is permanent," he said.
"And for Kamal, like if you watch Jeremy Doku, if you watch Vinicius Jr training, their potential compared to Kamal, talking about a player in the same ballpark, obviously in certain phases of their development, they pushed a little bit. But, you know, with modern-day, most footballers will still be playing when they're 36, 37."
Vernon's comments highlight his faith in Sulemana's ability to overcome his recent challenges and achieve success on par with his peers. As Sulemana looks to the future, he hopes to put his injury woes behind him and fulfill the promise he showed early in his career.
