Teenage midfield sensation Bobby Adekanye joins Liverpool from Barcelona’s youth team
NIGERIAN teenage sensation Bobby Adekanye has left Barcelona
and joined English Premiership giants Liverpool in a move expected to lead to lead to his unprecedented development.
Adekanye, 16, has been regarded as the next Maradona at Barcelona and is a mercurial midfield talent expected to fill the vacuum left in Nigeria’s midfield by former skipper Austin JJ Okocha. Born Habeeb Omobolaji Adekanye, the teenager was born in the Nigerian city of Ibadan in on February 14, 1999 and moved to the Netherlands at the age of four to live in Amsterdam with his family.
He spent his formative years in Ajax’s academy before an acrimonious move to Barcelona as a 12-year old in 2011. Last season, was sent back to the Netherlands for a season on loan at PSV Eindhoven, where Barcelona had hoped to keep him until their dispute with Fifa had been resolved but the player is unwilling to wait and has cut his ties with the Catalan giants, allowing Liverpool to pounce.
Adekanye impressed for PSV’s youth teams during his loan spell last season and both PSV and Ajax were eager to sign him permanently this summer, according to reports. He has also become a Dutch youth international as with the Dutch FA wary that he could choose to represent Nigeria, the winger was called up by to represent the Netherlands’ U16s at a Uefa development tournament in Portugal in February.
A skilful left-footer with electric pace, Adekanye has already drawn comparisons with Bayern Munich’s Arjen Robben. While he is most comfortable on the left, Adekanye can also play on the right flank or just behind the striker and as well as being a creative spark, the youngster is also known for having an eye for goal.
At just 16, he will continue his development in Liverpool’s Kirkby Academy with the intention of working his way up into the first team picture. Having already been coveted by Barcelona, Ajax and PSV, it appears the youngster has more than enough potential to make the grade.
Adekanye wrote on his Instagram page: “I am very happy to sign for Liverpool.”
Liverpool have promised the young winger that he will be integrated into the first team this season. He becomes the Reds’ seventh signing of the summer joining James Milner, Danny Ings, Adam Bogdan, Roberto Firmino, Nathaniel Clyne and youngster Joe Gomez.
Culled from Nigerianwatch, UK
