Maxwell Baakoh, the former Asante Kotoko winger, has disclosed that he is being pursued by Algeria to change his nationality and play for their national team.
After parting ways with Egyptian club Ceramica Cleopatra, the speedy and skillful winger joined Algerian side USM Khenchela.
Baakoh revealed that his impressive performances caught the attention of Algerian national team officials, who approached him with the idea of switching allegiance.
He recounted that during the first round of matches, the video analyst, who also works with the Algerian national team, contacted their head coach to inquire if Baakoh would be interested in playing for Algeria. This request came ahead of the CHAN tournament, which was hosted in Algeria.
According to Baakoh, the video analyst mentioned that if he were Algerian, his call-up to the national team would be a no-brainer due to his exceptional skills. While he was taken aback by the unexpected interest from Algeria, they continued to express their desire to have him represent their country.
“During the first round, our video analyst who also works with the national team called the head coach to ask me if I will love to play for Algeria and this was ahead of the CHAN tournament which was hosted in Algeria,” he told Kumasi-based Pure FM.
However, Baakoh remains resolute in his ambition to play for the Ghana national team, the Black Stars. Despite the enticing offer from Algeria, he considers himself a proud Ghanaian and is determined to fulfill his dream of representing his home country.
“The video analyst said if I was Algerian, they wouldn’t think twice about my call-up because they know how good I am.
“I was surprised because I did not expect that but they keep telling me they will want me to play for them.
Last season, Baakoh made 25 appearances for USM Khenchela, scoring five goals during his time with the Algerian club.
