Fatawu Issahaku to Bayer Leverkusen deal off over agent’s ‘dubious and disrespectful’ behaviour
Fatawu Issahaku in action for Ghana U-20s COURTESY: Teamtalk
German side Bayer 04 Leverkusen have pulled out of a move to sign Ghana teen sensation Abdul Fatawu Issahaku due to “dubious and disrespectful behaviour” on the part of his advisor, reports German tabloid Kicker.
The 17-year-old – who landed in Germany earlier this week in the company of Steadfast FC CEO Alhaji Abubakari Abdul-Diam and Spain-based Nigerian agent Peter Obiora Ejiasi as advisor – looked all set to join the Bundesliga side.
But unexpected turn of events forced the club to withdraw from signing the left-footed U-20 Afcon-winning attacking midfielder who thrives both centrally and on the wings.
According to German media powerhouse Kicker, Fatawu’s advisor, on Wednesday cancelled the second and final date for sealing the deal with Bayer at short notice.
Allegedly because the agent, Peter Ejiasi, may have wanted to meet representatives of Liverpool on the same day.
The latter was exposed because Fatawu had posted a video from his room at Lindner Hotel Bayarena in Leverkusen where they were lodged.
In the video, a corresponding telephone conversation could be heard in the background with a meeting in Portugal was arranged for Wednesday afternoon.
This did not sit well with the representatives of Bayer 04, and the club has decided to cancel the move.
“Fatawu is a highly talented player and Bayer made a very good offer. But I can understand those responsible for Bayer have refrained from the transfer because of dubious and disrespectful behavior of Fatawu’s advisors,” Kicker quoted Michael Ruhnau, who put Bayer and Fatawu’s agent in contact, as saying.
Fatawu Issahaku may have to wait for his 18th birthday in March 2020 to be eligible for professional football for any European club he eventually signs for this summer.
The kicker also claims that aside Liverpool, Fatawu’s agent has been speaking to clubs like FC Basel, RSC Anderlecht, RB Salzburg, Ajax and Borussia Dortmund since March to drive up his price.
