With the countdown to the 2023 AFCON ticking down, Ghanaian football fans have been eagerly refreshing social media, waiting for the announcement of their nation’s provisional squad. A locally-based footballer inside of many predictions for a spot on Ghana’s final team is Accra Hearts of Oak SC’s Salifu Ibrahim.
Players like Salifu Ibrahim make everything look easy. Whether its a probing through ball, pinpoint long pass or a sumptuous first touch, Thiago pulls it all off without breaking into a sweat. Salifu Ibrahim is a master of the subtle arts; of the carefully-placed flick and the rapid dabbed pass.
He’s not especially quick, he’s not that strong, he’s not very big and he’s fairly one-footed, but he can dominate games like few others, controlling things as if half of him is a 5ft 7in footballer running around on the pitch, and the other half some sort of all-seeing deity who is able to manipulate games to his own ends. In short, he’s brilliant.
The elegant midfielder has had his injury problems, sure, but when he is fully fit, there are few players more creative than him in Ghana’s elite league. The 23-year-old has been turning heads with a mixture of impressive performances and eye-catching assists for the Phobians this term. In 14 games, he has scored a goal and provided 5 assists to his teammates.
Ibrahim is yet to earn a cap for Ghana at senior level and while it would come as a shock to many if he was to force his way into the squad ahead of AFCON 2023, it wouldn't be undeserved.
There isn't a single skill that he or usual partner Glid Otanga don't excel at between them, and while Hamza Issah grabs the headlines for the obscene number of goals he scores, he's helped by Hearts being built on solid foundations in midfield.
For Ghana to get to at least the latter stages in Cote d’Ivoire, Hughton has to be spot on with his selections, and though there are some names that are non-negotiable, there’s a chance for others to make a late claim.
In tournament football, player profiles are important and there's a need to have different options at your disposal. Salifu Ibrahim is the all-round central-midfielder capable of scoring goals, providing assists, dropping deep and running in behind. His similarities to Ashimeru may be what keeps him out of the squad, unfortunately.
