Hapoel Tel Aviv Signs Promising Ghanaian Winger Douglas Owusu at 20

Douglas Owusu, a 20-year-old Ghanaian winger, is set to join Hapoel Tel Aviv after a notable rise in Serbian football. Standing at 1.65 meters, Owusu's journey began in a small Ghanaian club, Ascom, where he was overlooked by scouts due to his size and did not feature in youth national teams. Despite this, his talent shone through, leading to a move to Serbian second division side Sordulica at 19, where his intelligence and skill quickly stood out.

Owusu played a key role in Sordulica's promotion to the top Serbian league, attracting interest from clubs like Vojvodina and Buducnost Podgorica. In the Serbian SuperLiga, he scored seven goals in half a season, demonstrating fearless attacking play. His performances earned him a Serbian passport and a high ranking among the best under-20 attackers worldwide by the CIES Football Observatory.

This progress led to a $2.2 million transfer to Serbian giants Red Star Belgrade, where initial praise compared his dribbling to Lamine Yamal. However, Owusu struggled to maintain a starting position, partly due to his risky playing style and inconsistency. After failing medical tests for a move to Viktoria Plzen, he remained a sought-after talent.

Owusu's style combines explosive speed, with a top sprint of 35.1 km/h, and a low center of gravity, making him difficult to defend against. While his risk-taking has led to turnovers and missed chances, his potential remains high. Hapoel Tel Aviv sees him as a player who could develop into a key attacking asset under coach Eliniv Breda, following a similar path to previous successful wingers in the Israeli Premier League.

Owusu’s signing represents a calculated gamble for Hapoel Tel Aviv, hoping his adaptation will unlock his full potential and contribute significantly to the team’s success in the coming seasons.