Ghana coach CK Akonnor has described German-born Greuther Furth attacker Jamie Leweling as a "future star" after calling up the teenager for upcoming 2022 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying double-header against Sudan in November.
The winger was undoubtedly the biggest surprise in the Black Stars 23-man squad announced on Friday.
He currently plays for Germany at U20 level but his Ghanaian roots make him eligible to represent the four-time African champions at international level.
“He [Leweling] is a young man who is all over the place with lots of teams interested in him because of what he has done,” Akonnor said, as reported by the Ghana Football Association’s official website.
“He is growing very fast. He just got a chance from the [Greuther Furth] second team and now he is with the first team. He’s been a player I believe is a hope for the future.
“He is one of the guys that we can have because he’s young, 19 years of age and he has had the chance to play for the German national team and so we are looking at how we can also get him on board to also help us in the future. He’s somebody I believe if not today, he’s going to be the hope for our future and that’s why he’s here.
“As we speak now, I have spoken to him but I haven’t assured him [of a permanent Ghana place]. I went to Germany to watch him because he was also recommended by our technical director [Bernhard Lippert].
“Nobody had an idea [of his existence], but he [Lippert] said he is a good talent and so we have to watch him. So, I went to see him play, it was not enough but the two matches that I saw, I think it’s a good opportunity for him to also come here and showcase his talent but I believe he’s one good talent, hope for the future.”
Leweling broke into Gruether Furth’s first team last season where he made 22 league appearances involving seven starts for the club in the German second tier.
This term, he has played five times so far, starting in only one of the games.
His last appearance for Germany came for the U20s in September where he scored in a 2-1 win over Denmark.
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