Ushau Abu, the Berekum Chelsea midfielder, is reportedly piquing the interest of Accra Hearts of Oak, and a potential capture before the imminent end of transfer window would be quite a coup.
The Phobians seek a fitting replacement for Benjamin Afutu, who moved to Egypt after the end of last season, and in Abu they could have as good a volante as there is anywhere in the division.
The goal-scoring exploits of Abu’s attacking teammates at Chelsea — Stephen Amankona, Stephen Sarfo and Kofi Owusu — have often grabbed the headlines, but little of what they accomplish upfront would be possible without the solid platform crafted and engineered by Abu.
Hearts fans can expect all that — and more.
Abu is one of a kind. His style of play is elegant, he reads the game beautifully, and his frame only works to enhance an outstanding talent that makes him even harder to catch with the ball at his feet. Abu isn’t imposing for a defensive midfielder, but he compensates for that with an unusually neat technique for a player of his age (22), married to a nonchalant action style.
He is very much an edge-of-your-seat footballer — his Twitter handle gives you a fair idea of the sort of player we’re talking about here — a gem you’d genuinely pay to watch sparkle even if he’s half-fit and can only muster a 15-minute cameo.
His variation, unpredictability, and expertise at ball-manipulation sets Abu apart as one of the more press-resistant and creative players around — there is far more to creativity than assists, mind — while he’s able to penetrate defensive lines at will with crisp and perfectly weighted vertical passes, as well as those graceful yet powerful driving runs.
Whether Hearts head coach Samuel Boadu deploys a 4-3-3 formation or the 4-3-1-2, the man at the base of midfield is crucial in dictating the tempo of the game. Given Abu’s tactical intelligence and work-rate, there is no reason to doubt that he can adapt to whatever demands there may be — key, surely, to enjoying a successful future at a club of this stature.
Fingers crossed, eh?
Godfred Budu Yeboah — Ink & Kicks
