Top 5 Players In The Ghana Premier League

Most football fans see the GPL as one of the toughest and the most competitive leagues due to high-profile players who are already established in their ranks.

Who are the best players in the Ghana Premier League right now? Here are five players making waves in Ghana at the moment and are expected to keep up their impressive form till the end of the season.

FRANCK MBELLA ETOUGA 

Nationality: Cameroon

Club: Asante Kotoko

Position: Striker

The 20-year-old, who joined Asante Kotoko from Cameroonian top-flight side AS Fortuna prior to the start of the 2021/22 season has made a huge impact not just at the club, but the league on the whole, propelling the Reds to a likely league title at end of the season.

Mbella Etouga is the current top goal scorer in the league with 19 goals in 24 games, breaking former striker and club legend Eric Bekoe’s record.

Bekoe held the record for most goals scored (17) in the Ghana Premier League for Asante Kotoko in the 2007/08 season but Etouga’s 18th goal of the season has set a new club record.

With six matches left to play in the league, he has set his sights on breaking the all-time record set by former Hearts of Oak legend and striker Ishmael Addo, who bagged 22 goals in a season.

His impressive display has earned him a call-up to Cameroon’s national team ahead of the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations and could feature against Kenya and Burundi.

Just 20-years-old of age, the sky is the limit for Franck Mbella Etouga who wants to achieve greatness before finally hanging up his boots  in the upcoming years.. 

ISMAIL ABDUL-GANIYU

Nationality: Ghana

Club: Asante Kotoko

Position: Defender

Another player fueling Asante Kotoko’s bid to win the Ghana Premier League title this season is their skipper Ismail Abdul-Ganiyu.

Abdul-Ganiyu has been rock solid in defense for the Porcupine Warriors as they sit 1st on the league table with 56 points, nine points ahead of second-placed Bechem United.

The 25-year-old’s leadership qualities have never been in doubt, marshalling the backline of Prosper Narteh Ogum’s side conceding the least number of goals in the league.

The Porcupine Warriors have let in 17 goals in 28 matches. 

He has missed five games this season for Kotoko through injury and in these games, the club conceded five goals.

Abdul-Ganiyu has led his side to keep an impressive 16 clean sheets so far and this could go a long way in helping Kotoko annex the title at end of the season.

DANIEL AFRIYIE BARNIEH

Nationality: Ghana

Club: Hearts of Oak

Position: Forward

Daniel Afriyie Barnieh is a household name in Ghana after playing a crucial role in helping the Black Satellites of Ghana win the 2020 WAFU Zone B U-20 Tournament and the 2021 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations, scoring a brace in the final against Uganda.

The trophy was Ghana’s fourth U-20 AFCON title.

The 20-year-old carried on his impressive form to the club level, helping Hearts of Oak clinch the Ghana Premier League title for the first since 2009 as well as clinching the MTN FA Cup.

Afriyie Barnieh, who was named 2021 SWAG Home-based Footballer of the Year has been one of the consistent players for the Phobians this season scoring nine goals so far as the defending Premier League champions sit 4th on the league table with 44 points after 28 matches played so far.

Barnieh again put up a masterclass performance to propel the Phobians to the final of this season’s MTN FA Cup by beating Dreams FC 3-2 on Saturday in their quest to retain the title they won last season.

New Edubiase United FC owner Abdul Salam Yakubu recently claimed the highly-rated forward deserves to be at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. This goes on to show how important Barnieh is in the Premier League.

With the league title gradually slipping out of the hands of Samuel Boadu’s side, Hearts of Oak only hope of silverware is the MTN FA Cup and they will be counting on Afriyie Barnieh to lead the charge.

AUGUSTINE OKRAH

Nationality: Ghana

Club: Bechem United

Position: Forward

If there is one man on a mission to re-write history in the Ghana Premier League, it is Bechem United’s Augustine Okrah. 

The 28-year-old re-joined the Hunters from Asante Kotoko before the start of the 2021/22 season and has been leading the charge for the club who are hoping to win the league title for the first time in their history.

Okrah has single-handedly propelled Bechem United to second on the league table with 47 points, nine points behind leaders Asante Kotoko with six matches left matches to play.

He has bagged 15 goals and provided three assists in all competitions for the Hunters after 28 matches into the Ghana Premier League season.

The experienced forward was on the scoresheet as Bechem United overcame Aduana Stars to reach the MTN FA Cup for the second time in the club’s history – a trophy the Hunters are hoping to win again having won it in the 2015/16 season.

Okrah featured for Bechem United in the 2013/14 season, scoring 16 goals and registering eight assists, and was named Best Player after collecting the Top scorer award.

With several clubs interested in acquiring his services at the end of the season, only time will tell whether Okrah will leave Bechem United or not.

YAW ANNOR

Nationality: Ghana

Club: Ashanti Gold SC

Position: Forward

Yaw Annor is on a personal mission to win the Ghana Premier League top scorer award after an impressive start to the 2021/22 season.

The 24-year-old has been one of the standout players in the league, scoring four goals in their 5-1 win over Berekum Chelsea on match-week 27 at the Len Clay Stadium.

The four goals increased his goal tally to 16 on the top-scoring chart, trailing Asante Kotoko striker Franck Etouga Mbella by three goals with six matches left to play.

Ashgold may not be having a good season but Annor is leaving no stone unturned. – churning out Man of the Match performances week in and week out for the Miners.

He has even set his sights on earning a call-up to the senior national team of Ghana, the Black Stars ahead of the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Annor may not be the favorite to win the top goalscorer award, but maybe, just maybe his determination and hard work could be enough to beat Asante Kotoko’s Franck Etouga Mbella to the accolade.