When Southampton signed Kamaldeen Sulemana in January 2023, they paid more for him than for any player in the club’s history. The fast, tricky winger from Techiman had already impressed in Denmark and France. His rise from a Ghanaian academy to the Premier League showed how far talented young players can travel with the right support.
Right to Dream and Nordsjaelland
Kamaldeen was born in 2002 in Techiman, in what is now Ghana’s Bono East Region. He joined the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana, which combines football training with education and has produced several international players. Right to Dream’s link with Danish club FC Nordsjaelland gave him his first professional chance in Europe. He impressed with his dribbling and goals.
In 2021, he joined Rennes in France’s Ligue 1.
Southampton and the Black Stars
In January 2023, he moved to Southampton for a club-record fee. The club was relegated that season, but he stayed with them. He made his debut for Ghana and was part of the squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. He is known for speed, close control and the ability to beat defenders one-on-one. Injuries have interrupted parts of his career.
He is one of several Right to Dream graduates in European football, along with players such as Mohammed Kudus.
Techiman and expectations
His hometown celebrates his success, and young players there see him as an example. Still in his early twenties, he is expected to be an important player for Ghana for years. His record fee brought high expectations from fans. At FC Nordsjaelland, Kamaldeen played alongside other young Africans from the Right to Dream academy, a model that gives teenagers a direct route into European football. His dribbling statistics were among the best in the Danish league, and clubs across Europe began watching him.
Rennes and Ghana's wingers
In France, he adjusted to a faster, more physical league and played in European competition. His performances there convinced Southampton to break their transfer record. He is one of several exciting Ghanaian wingers of his generation, giving the Black Stars options on the flanks. Kamaldeen Sulemana left Techiman as a teenager with a place at an academy. He reached the Premier League as one of the most expensive signings his club had ever made.
