Ghana Wonderkid Eric Gyamfi Draws Interest from Barcelona and Beyond

Ghana's new kid on the block, Eric Gyamfi, is attracting the attention of several European clubs, including Barcelona, Celta Vigo and Sporting Lisbon, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal. 

The 16-year-old Eric has turned heads with his awe-inspiring performances at the ongoing AFCON U-17 tournament, where he's scored twice, including a cheeky effort from near the halfway line against Algeria. 

Insider sources at the tournament say the club's scouts have been left impressed and are exploring ways of firming up their interests by approaching his parent club. 

EUROPEAN CLUBS CALLING

Sources from the lad's homeland in Kumasi say Barcelona's robust youth project is presumed to prove beneficial for the boy's progress, as the Catalan giants would initially have him work his way up from their famed La Masia. 

But there are also suggestions that his pathway to senior football could arrive earlier with a stint in Portugal, while a couple of other unnamed clubs from the Netherlands and Belgium are said to have watched him in Salé.

It is still unknown what value the player's parent club, Ebony FC, would place on their player, as one of the national team officials who was approached declined to discuss figures with a club representative. 

However, with most of these interested clubs preparing for recruitments this summer, the Kumasi-based club could soon be getting more inquiries for their precocious player. 

Gyamfi will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of Ghanaian stars who have leapt Europe’s elite, including Kevin-Prince Boateng, who represented Barcelona. 

A move to a top European club would also serve as a key step towards breaking into Ghana’s senior national team, as the Black Stars look to rebuild and return to form ahead of the upcoming FIFA World Cup after missing out on the most recent AFCON.

CATCHING THE EYES

Gyamfi's sheer ability has been evident from the days of representing Kumasi Metro at the Ashanti Region Inter Districts U-17 championship, where he emerged as the best player of the tournament, catching the eyes of the national youth team handlers. 

He has been described as an enterprising character with an intuition to capitalise on both passing and shooting options. 

The Ghanaian brings with him a special kind of creativity to the front line due to his swift movement and ability to hog onto the ball in tight spaces. 

Ultimately, his trajectory is one worth watching closely from now on as the list of his admirers grows and cogent talks set to gather serious momentum.