Mohammed Salisu

Mohammed Salisu is one of the most accomplished defenders of Ghana's current generation, a commanding centre-back whose calm, athletic style has taken him from a Spanish reserve side to the Premier League and Ligue 1.

Early life

He was born Mohammed Salisu Abdul Karim on 17 April 1999 in Kumasi. Tall and physically imposing, he moved to Spain as a teenager, joining Real Valladolid's youth setup in 2017.

Rise in Spain and England

He broke into the Valladolid first team and impressed in La Liga, earning a move to Southampton in the Premier League in 2020. Over three seasons on the south coast he made 80 appearances, building a reputation for his aerial ability, recovery pace and composure on the ball.

Monaco

In 2023 he completed a move to AS Monaco for a fee of around 15 million euros, stepping up to a club competing at the top of French football and in the Champions League, a sign of his growing stature in the European game.

Ghana

After a long-awaited debut in 2022, Salisu was selected for the World Cup in Qatar, starting all three group games and scoring in Ghana's win over South Korea. He has become a cornerstone of the Black Stars defence, and one of the players around whom the national team is being rebuilt.