Leicester City manager Enzo Maresca has encouraged Abdul Fatawu Issahaku to view his exclusion from Ghana’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) squad as an opportunity to showcase his talents for a permanent move to the club in the summer.
Maresca welcomed the news that the winger would remain with the club for the next six weeks rather than participating in the Cote d’Ivoire tournament.
While Fatawu was initially part of Ghana’s preliminary squad, his omission from the final lineup, revealed by manager Chris Hughton on Monday, has opened up a chance for the young player, according to Maresca.
The 19-year-old, currently on loan from Sporting Lisbon, now has an additional month at the King Power Stadium to impress, potentially influencing the decision for a permanent transfer in the summer.
Maresca expressed his preference for Fatawu’s presence with the team in January, stating, “If you asked me if it was better for Abdul to play for his international team or here, I would tell you it’s much better for us to see him for January.”
He added, “Now he has time to continue to show us how good he is. Then at the end, we’re going to decide.”
Contrary to Maresca’s view, reports from Portugal suggest a compulsory purchase agreement of €17m (£14.7m) is part of the loan deal, potentially being activated if Leicester City earns promotion.
There are also indications from Ghana that Fatawu declined a call-up to focus on City, aiming to meet the purchase clause’s required minutes. Maresca, unaware of the reports, stated, “We are happy if he did that,” confirming the winger’s decision was communicated to him on Sunday at 11 pm.
