Kojo Peprah Oppong #21

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It has been a meteoric rise. Only three years ago he was still in the second tier of Ghanaian football, with Attram De Visser Academy, a club co-owned by the former Black Star, Godwin Attram. That summer he left for Swedish side IFK Norrköping, where, via a loan spell at GIF Sundsvall, he quickly proved his potential – so much so that in August last year Nice paid €2.5m to sign him. Florian Maurice, sporting director at Nice, said: “What drew us to him was not only his speed, his mobility and his aggression in duels, but also his ability to play in different systems.” He settled fast, playing league and European football, and was soon being linked with Premier League clubs. “I’m surprised,” Oppong told Get French Football News last year. “I didn’t expect to play this much in the beginning, but I’m now playing a lot – and I expect a lot from myself.” He made his Ghana debut in the World Cup qualifier against Comoros in Accra last October. His future looks bright.

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