By Umar Farouk Atipaga
This move was more discreet than expected. Andre Ayew had earlier been “sold” by local journalists, who kept on linking him to very big clubs across Europe.
Some of the names that popped up included Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and at a point, PSG.
Those rumours led to high expectations as regards the winger’s new adventure. However, out of nowhere, the Swansea City deal emerged, and it certainly was met with mixed reactions.
While some Ghanaians believed it was the right move, others felt he needed a club which could afford him continuous appearances in the Uefa Champions League. However, at age 25, Ayew still has a lot to offer, and still open for a big move in the seasons ahead.
Swansea’s offer comes with little pressure and regular playing time for the Ghanaian. If he maximises the opportunities at the Liberty Stadium to the fullest, top teams across Europe will surely come chasing.
Along the line, the Marseille academy graduate has developed massive qualities that make him an asset on the field. He also has a mental fortitude that sets him well apart. His move to Swansea might look like a demotion, but could turn out to be a stepping stone to the dream move many locals expect of him.
Destiny has found a way once more to reunite the Ayew brothers, Andre and Jordan, in the English Premier League.
When it looked like Jordan was going to be left behind in France after Andre’s move to Swansea, Aston Villa came knocking. And like his elder brother, it was Jordan’s first adventure outside France.
Jordan’s best season so far happened when he parted ways with Marseille to join Lorient. He was a big force behind their Ligue 1 survival. He scored in big matches and influenced games to the delight of many. He fetched twelve goals and five assists last season.
Recruited to fill the boots of Christian Benteke at Aston Villa, Jordan might not find the task so easy. At Villa, he would have to churn out double numbers each season to justify his signing. He picked the number 10 jersey as well, and we all know what that means.
However, Jordan has found a way of gradually silencing his critics. Gaining a starting spot in the Ghana team explains how hardworking he is. He already has two Africa Cup of Nations tournaments under his belt, plus a Fifa World Cup appearance at the 2014 edition in Brazil.
He is fast, has good foot works, can assist and above all can score. However, he needs to improve on his finishing in order to make his Villa Park experience remarkable. Some people have argued that he should have stayed at Lorient to polish his skills the more for another season.
However, the opportunity to play in the Premier League is what many pros would never reject. There are well-established players who came to England and flopped, while others came with scanty CVs and survived. But Jordan himself is the right person to put the debate to rest when the season kicks off on August 8.
The move dominated the headlines across the globe. His Ghanaian critics didn’t mince words in mocking the standard of the Chinese Premier League, while slamming him for considering only his pocket at the expense of his form for the national team.
The point many are missing is that Gyan is not swapping La Liga for the Chinese league; neither is he swapping the EPL or Serie A for an adventure in Asia. He is leaving one Asian club for another. What does he lose in doing that?
People should realise that no big club in Europe would have signed Gyan from Al Ain. And it is only the big clubs who could offer anything close to the $250,000 dollars he was earning weekly at Al Ain.
Four years ago, the question about the standard of the league when he moved from Sunderland to the UAE was valid. However, he was able to silence his critics with a consistent form while playing for the Black Stars, contributing to their qualification to the 2014 World Cup, where he emerged as the highest-scoring African in the competition.
Gyan, during that period, scored most of the 48 goals that have made him Ghana’s all-time top scorer across 92 caps. He did all that while in Asia with Al Ain.
Agreed, he can’t boast of any title in Europe, unlike his compatriots, Sulley Muntari, Michael Essien, Kwadwo Asamoah and Andre Ayew, among others. He missed out on that opportunity the moment he decided to leave for Al Ain.
Unless you are a club legend like Didier Drogba or Samuel Eto’o, you would never get the chance to return to a top-flight Uefa Champions League team after an adventure in Asia. And even for Drogba, he spent less than a season upon his return to Chelsea.
After spending four years in the UAE, could you imagine teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid or Inter Milan going after Gyan to come and lead their attack? Even if it happens, his Ain’s net wage of $250,000 would be severely slashed.
The opportunity cost of chasing his football riches is: missing out on a medal in Europe, and he understood that right from the moment he ended his stay at the Stadium of Light.