Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan

Asamoah Gyan in 2014
Personal information
Full name Asamoah Gyan[1]
Date of birth (1985-11-22) 22 November 1985
Place of birth Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Al Ahli
(on from loan Shanghai SIPG)
Number 3
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003 Liberty Professionals 16 (10)
2003–2008 Udinese 39 (11)
2004–2006 → Modena (loan) 53 (15)
2008–2010 Rennes 48 (14)
2010–2012 Sunderland 34 (10)
2011–2012 → Al Ain (loan) 18 (22)
2012–2015 Al Ain 65 (73)
2015– Shanghai SIPG 20 (7)
2016– → Al Ahli (loan) 2 (1)
National team‡
2003– Ghana 95 (48)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25/9/2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 25/3/2016

Asamoah Gyan (pronounced [æsæˈmoʊˌɑː ˌdʒjɑːn], ə-sah-MOH-ah J-yahn, born 22 November 1985 in Accra) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Al-Ahli Dubai F.C. and captains the Ghanaian national team.

Gyan began his career in 2003 with Ghanaian Premier League club Liberty Professionals scoring a prolific ten goals in sixteen matches then spent three seasons with Serie A club Udinese via two seasons loan at Modena netting on fifteen occasions in 53 league matches and at Udinese where he scored 11 times in 39 league matches.[3] In 2008, Gyan joined Ligue 1 club Rennes, netting fourteen times in forty-eight league matches during two seasons.[4] In 2010, Gyan joined Premier League club Sunderland, breaking the club's transfer record and netting on ten occasions in thirty-four Premier League matches during two seasons.[5]

In 2011, Gyan joined Al Ain of the UAE Pro-League on loan and become the league's top-goalscorer, scoring 24 times in 27 matches.[6] In the following season, Gyan permanently joined Al Ain and once again became the league's top-goalscorer while he helped Al Ain retain the UAE Pro-League title, scoring an impressive 28 goals in 32 matches.[7] In the 2013–14 season, Gyan prolifically scored on 44 occasions in 40 matches with Al Ain.[8]

Gyan is the all-time leading goalscorer of the Ghana national team, with 48 goals. He represented Ghana at the 2006, 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cups. With 6 goals, he is the top African goalscorer in the history of the World Cup. Gyan has also represented Ghana at the 2004 Summer Olympics and in six Africa Cup of Nations in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015, helping them finish in third-place in 2008 and runner-up in 2010 and 2015. Asamoah Gyan missed out on the five-man shortlist released by CAF on Tuesday having initially made the previous 30-man list for the 2016 CAF player of the year.

Club career

Udinese

Having signed for Udinese in 2003 from Ghanaian club Liberty Professionals located in Accra, Gyan spent two years on loan at Serie B club Modena to gain match experience. Following some excellent displays during the 2006 World Cup, he attracted interest from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. Gyan returned to Udinese at the start of 2006, but on 17 February 2007, Udinese pulled out of a deal to sell him in the January transfer window. The striker was on the verge of signing a 3-year deal with Russian Club Lokomotiv Moscow for US$10.5 million, the fourth largest transfer fee in Russian football history. "The striker Udinese targeted to replace me did not sign for them," Gyan told BBC Sport. "I've been told I will now have to stay in Italy for the rest of the season."[9]

On 10 August 2007, along with Fabio Quagliarella, Gyan signed an improved 5-year contract extension to stay at Udinese until 30 June 2012 as a reward for his fine form[10] in the 2007–08 pre-season.[3] "I have decided to stay here because it is one of the top leagues in the world," Asamoah said, "There is the possibility of me playing regular football here to make me a better player. "I am comfortable with the new deal and I know I can help Udinese achieve things for the future".[11] Gyan and Quagliarella marked their contract extensions with a brace each in Udinese's 7–0 friendly win later that evening.[12][13]

On 29 July 2007 following his impressive pre-season form, including a hat-trick[13][14] in a friendly against Serie B outfit Spezia on 25 July, before Udinese sealed the long term deal.[15][16] Gyan scored 8 goals in 2006–07 to help the Stadio Friuli club finish in 10th place in Serie A.

Gyan was dogged by injury during the 2007–08 season and never appeared for Udinese again after January 2008, having played only 13 Serie A matches and scored 3 times that season.

Rennes

Gyan training whilst at Stade Rennais F.C.

On 11 July 2008, Gyan was signed by Ligue 1 Club Stade Rennais for 4 years on an €8 million transfer fee.[4][17] Gyan played 48 times for Rennes, scoring 14 goals. By the end of his stay at Rennes, he became a well known goal scoring figure, scoring 13 league goals in the 2009–10 season. However, Gyan only played three games in Ligue 1 the following season, taking his total appearances to 53, before he departed for Sunderland.

Sunderland

On 31 August 2010, Gyan signed for Premier League club Sunderland on a four-year deal for a club record £13 million.[5] Gyan was later given the squad number 33 shirt at Sunderland. He scored on his Sunderland debut against Wigan Athletic on 11 September after coming on as a substitute for Danny Welbeck. The match ended in a 1–1 draw with Antolín Alcaraz scoring Wigan's equaliser.[18] He marked his first start for Sunderland by netting their only goal in their League Cup exit at the hands of West Ham United.[19] Gyan scored twice on his first Premier League start for the club in a 2–0 win against Stoke City on 6 November. His first goal came in the 9th minute when a Nedum Onuoha shot was parried by goalkeeper Asmir Begović, with Gyan on hand to tap home the rebound and his second came in the 86th minute, to secure a 2–0 victory for the Black Cats.[20] Three days later, he followed this up by scoring the equaliser against Tottenham at White Hart Lane in a 1–1 draw as Sunderland moved up to seventh in the table.[21] He also scored a goal in Sunderland's 3–0 victory at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.[22] Gyan scored Sunderland's third goal in their 3–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers on 1 January 2011.[23]

On 16 January 2011, he started against local rivals Newcastle United, scoring a 94th-minute equaliser, preventing Newcastle gaining their second win of the season against Sunderland.[24] Gyan added to his impressive goalscoring tally with a goal away at Stoke City on 5 February 2011. He scored an 11th-minute goal against Tottenham on 12 February 2011. Gyan's next goal came on 23 April as Sunderland beat Wigan Athletic 4–2, a match which ended prematurely for the forward as he was substituted following a hamstring injury which is expected to see him miss the remainder of the season.[25] Gyan did recover in time to feature in Sunderland's last game of the season at West Ham but didn't add to his tally finishing his first season in English football with 10 league goals. Gyan took the squad number 3 shirt for the 2011–12 season, the same squad number he wears for Ghana.

Al Ain

On 10 September 2011, it was confirmed on the Sunderland website that Gyan would leave on a season long loan to club Al Ain FC.[6] Amid speculation of a fee of up to £6 million being paid for the loan period, with Gyan receiving up to four times his previous salary,[26] Chairman Niall Quinn emphasised the financial benefits of the deal for both Sunderland and the player. The Ghanaian finished the season with Al Ain by helping them capture their tenth league success and was the top goalscorer in the season with 22 league goals.

When Martin O'Neill became manager of Sunderland on 8 December 2011, he considered the possibility of recalling Gyan from his loan spell away from the club.[27]

Gyan signed a five-year contract with Al Ain on 6 July 2012 worth over £6m per season.[7] He was the top goalscorer in the UAE league in the 2013 season and helped his team retain the league title. On 24 July 2014, Gyan announced on his personal website that he had signed a contract extension at Al-Ain, receiving an improved deal and tying him to the club until 2018.[8]

Shanghai SIPG

On 7 July 2015, Gyan confirmed on his own website that he had left Al Ain and set to join Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPG. Shanghai SIPG then officially announced they signed Gyan from Al Ain with an undisclosed fee.[28][29] It was then revealed that Gyan's weekly salary of £227,000 with his Chinese club instantly made him one of the world's best paid football players.[30]

International career

Gyan playing for Ghana in 2008

Gyan made his international debut at the age of 17. Gyan scored on his senior International debut[31] for Ghana against Somalia on 19 November 2003 in the 90th minute. He came on for Isaac Boakye in the 62nd minute in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier, three days before he turned 18 years; helping Ghana to win that game, and making him the youngest ever player to score for Ghana. He scored four times in seven matches during that successful World Cup qualifying campaign. He was part of the 2004 Ghana Olympic squad, who exited in the first round, having finished in third place in Group B.

He also scored the fastest goal of the tournament after 68 seconds. The strike was also Ghana's first ever goal in the FIFA World Cup, coming in the game against the Czech Republic on 17 June at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, Germany, which set the Black Stars on their way to a 2–0 victory. He missed a penalty later in the game, and received a yellow card ruling him out of the final group game for trying to take the penalty too early. In Ghana's defeat[32] to Brazil in the round of 16, he was sent off in the 81st minute after collecting his second booking of the match (for diving).

On 24 January 2008, during the Africa Cup of Nations, Gyan and his brother Baffour decided to walk out on the Black Stars following criticism after their unconvincing 1–0 win[33] over Namibia. The media learnt the brothers had packed their bags and were ready to leave the team hotel but were persuaded to stay by team-mates.[34] In the 2010 African Cup of Nations, Asamoah Gyan helped a Ghana team, ravaged by injuries to the finals. Gyan scored three out of the four Ghana goals during the tournament.

Gyan scored with a penalty in the 85th minute of Ghana's first match of the 2010 World Cup against Serbia, in a 1–0 win. He hit the goalpost in the 92nd minute before being substituted to a standing ovation just before the final whistle.[35] In Ghana's second game, he scored a penalty in the 26th minute to level the scores and earn his team a 1–1 draw against Australia.[36]

In the round of 16 match against the United States, he scored a goal in extra time allowing Ghana to win 2–1 and hence become the third African team in history to qualify to the tournament's quarter final, after Cameroon and Senegal.[37] In the quarter final tie against Uruguay, following Luis Suárez's handling of the ball on the goal-line, he missed a penalty kick with no time remaining at end of extra time, hitting the crossbar and necessitating a penalty shootout to decide the game. He converted his kick in the subsequent penalty shootout, but Uruguay went on to win the shootout 4–2.[38]

Gyan scored Ghana's equaliser against England at Wembley in the international friendly on 29 March 2011.

For the second time in his career, Gyan missed a crucial penalty kick in a major tournament when he missed a penalty kick in the 2012 African Cup of Nations semi-final. Ghana went on to lose 1–0. After missing that penalty kick, Gyan decided to take an "indefinite break" from international football.[39] On 8 May 2012, he announced his return to the Black Stars team.[40][41]

On 2 June 2014, Gyan was named in Ghana's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.[42] In the team's opening match, he captained the Black Stars against the United States in a 2–1 defeat.[43] He scored his first goal of the tournament in a 2–2 draw with Germany,[44] equaling Roger Milla's record of five FIFA World Cup goals. In the final group match, he became the top African goalscorer in World Cup finals history by scoring the Black Stars' goal as they were defeated 2–1 by Portugal.[45]

At the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, Gyan missed Ghana's opening match, a 2–1 loss to Senegal, with a "mild bout" of malaria.[46] He returned for the second match, scoring a last minute winning goal against the tournament favourite Algeria in a 1–0 win for the Black Stars.[47]

International goals

Outside football

In June 2012, Gyan turned his attention towards boxing promotion and announced he would put on his debut boxing show in Ghana.[48] On 6 July, Asamoah Gyan stated:

Ghana has a lot of great boxers previously like Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey, so we need to push the young ones coming up. I would like to encourage the young ones coming up and those who want to achieve their aim.
— Asamoah Gyan[48]

Career statistics

Club

As of 23 October 2015[49][50][51]

Club performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ghana League FA Cup League Cup Africa Total
2003[52]Liberty ProfessionalsPremier League1610–––1610
Italy League Coppa Italia League Cup Europe Total
2003–04UdineseSerie A1000––10
2004–05ModenaSerie B28700––287
2005–0625810––268
2006–07UdineseSerie A25810––268
2007–0813300––133
France League Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Europe Total
2008–09[53] RennesLigue 1161201010201
2009–10[53]29131000–3013
2010–11[53]300000–30
England League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
2010–11SunderlandPremier League31101011–3311
2011–12300010–40
United Arab Emirates League President's Cup League Cup Asia Total
2011–12Al AinUAE Pro League18221253—2427
2012–1322312000412832
2013–14262945208104044
2014–15171310001071210
China League Chinese FA Cup League Cup Asia Total
2015Shanghai SIPGChinese Super League10465––1710
Total Ghana 1610———1610
Italy 922620——9426
France 48143010105314
England 34101021—3711
United Arab Emirates 839587732218120128
China 846511—1510
Career total 27215419121151713319184

International

As of 17 November 2015[52][54]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Ghana 200321
200432
200555
200694
200741
200841
200952
2010177
201154
201281
20131511
201496
201593
Total9548

Honours

Club

Al Ain FC

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 11 June 2014. p. 17. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  2. ↑ http://int.soccerway.com/players/asamoah-gyan/624/
  3. 1 2 "Asamoah signs Friuli deal". Channel4. 10 August 2007. Archived from the original on 11 August 2005. Retrieved 10 August 2007.
  4. 1 2 "Rennes : Asamoah Gyan signe 4 ans". Football365.fr. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
  5. 1 2 "Asamoah Gyan joins Sunderland for record £13m fee". BBC Sport. 31 August 2010. Retrieved 31 August 2010.
  6. 1 2 Bailey, Graeme. (10 September 2011). Gyan deal confirmed. Sky Sports News. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  7. 1 2 "Final insult: Sunderland make loss on Gyan as he agrees £140k-a-week move after tax.". mirror.co.uk. Daily Mirror. 29 June 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  8. 1 2 "Asamoah Gyan inks contract extension at Al Ain". Asamoah Gyan 3. 24 July 2014. Archived from the original on 29 July 2014. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  9. ↑ Sannie, Ibrahim (17 February 2007). "Gyan's Lokomotiv move hits snag". BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  10. ↑ Coventry City 0 Udinese 2 Coventry City FC, 4 August 2007 Archived 25 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ Sannie, Ibrahim (10 August 2007). "Asamoah extends Udinese stay". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 August 2007.
  12. ↑ "Asamoah celebrates". Channel4. 10 August 2007. Archived from the original on 13 August 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2007.
  13. 1 2 "Buon pareggio dell'Udinese con il Monaco". ErLupacchiotto.com. 29 July 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  14. ↑ "Udinese hit back". Channel4. 25 July 2007. Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 25 July 2007.
  15. ↑ "Udinese strike-pair linked with AC Milan". TribalFootball. 29 July 2007. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 29 July 2007.
  16. ↑ "CALCIO, UDINESE: IN QUATTRO RINNOVANO FINO AL 2012". la Repubblica (in Italian). 12 October 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2010.
  17. ↑ "Udinese: Asamoah al Rennes per 8 milioni". Il Tempo. 11 July 2008. Archived from the original on 6 February 2009. Retrieved 11 July 2008.
  18. ↑ "Wigan 1 – 1 Sunderland". BBC Sport. 11 September 2010. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
  19. ↑ Taylor, Louise (21 September 2010). "Scott Parker's dominance helps take the pressure off Avram Grant". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  20. ↑ Etoe, Catherine (6 November 2010). "Sunderland 2–0 Stoke". BBC Sport. Retrieved 9 November 2010.
  21. ↑ Jonathan Stevenson (9 November 2010). "Tottenham 1–1 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  22. ↑ Mandeep Sanghera (14 November 2010). "Chelsea 0–3 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  23. ↑ Cass, Bob (1 January 2011). "Sunderland 3 Blackburn 0: Steve Bruce's men ease to comfortable victory to move up to sixth". Daily Mail. London.
  24. ↑ Saj Chowdhury (16 January 2011). "Sunderland 1–1 Newcastle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  25. ↑ "Sunderland suffer Cashamoah Gyan and Welbeck injury blow". BBC Sport. 26 April 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2011.
  26. ↑ Quinn explains Gyan departure. Football365. 12 September 2011. Retrieved 12 September 2011. Archived 23 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  27. ↑ O'Neill to look into Gyan recall. soccernet.espn.go.com (ESPN). 8 December 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  28. ↑ "Al Ain award Asamoah Gyan for dedicated service as he departs to China". Asamoah Gyan 3. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  29. ↑ "阿萨莫阿﹒吉安将于今日下午飞抵上海" (in Chinese). Shanghai SIPG FC. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  30. ↑ "Asamoah Gyan Salary: Richest African Footballer Now In Top 10 Best-Paid Players". Mozaic Sports. 9 July 2015. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  31. ↑ "Ghana 5 Somalia 0". Ghanaweb. 16 November 2003.
  32. ↑ Brodkin, Jon (27 June 2006). "Ronaldo tops the charts as rocky Brazil roll on". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 27 June 2006.
  33. ↑ Vickers, Steve (24 January 2008). "Ghana 1–0 Namibia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 January 2008.
  34. ↑ "Gyan family suffer death threats". BBC Sport. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2008.
  35. ↑ Serbia 0–1 Ghana BBC Sport, 13 June 2010
  36. ↑ Sheringham, Sam (19 June 2010). "Ghana 1–1 Australia". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  37. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (26 June 2010). "USA 1–2 Ghana (aet)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  38. ↑ Fletcher, Paul (2 July 2010). "Uruguay 1–1 Ghana (4–2 pens)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  39. ↑ "Gyan in Danger of Legacy Lost". Edward Dove, Blogspot. 14 March 2012. Retrieved 14 March 2012., "Ghana's Asamoah Gyan retires indefinitely from international football". Goal.com. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 18 February 2012.
  40. ↑ "Asamoah Gyan returns to Black Stars". HappyGhana. 9 May 2012. Retrieved 19 June 2012.
  41. ↑ "Asamoah Gyan returns to international football". The Times Of India. 12 July 2012.
  42. ↑ "Ghana World Cup 2014 squad". The Telegraph. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  43. ↑ "Ghana 1-2 USA". BBC. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  44. ↑ "Germany vs Ghana". BBC. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  45. ↑ "Portugal 2-1 Ghana". BBC. 26 June 2014. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  46. ↑ "Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has 'mild bout' of malaria". USA Today. 18 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  47. ↑ "Ghana 1-0 Algeria". BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
  48. 1 2 "Asamoah Gyan turns Boxing promoter". boxingfutures.com. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  49. ↑ "Gyan UAE Football League competitions stats". PLC. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  50. ↑ "Asamoah Gyan career stats". Football Database.eu. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  51. ↑ "Gyan UAE competitions stats". UAE FA. Retrieved 11 September 2013.
  52. 1 2 "Gyan, Asamoah". National Football Teams. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  53. 1 2 3 "Gyan French competitions stats". Ligue1.com. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
  54. ↑ Asamoah Gyan - Goals in International Matches
  55. ↑ "Ghana's Asamoah Gyan is named as 2010 BBC winner". BBC Sport. 17 December 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2010.

External links

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Preceded by
John Mensah		 Ghana national football team Captain
2012–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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