Chelsea have handed a trial to Ghanaian youngster Fatawu Ganiwu, who has already featured in a friendly for the U18 side, according to journalist Rahman Osman.
Since Todd Boehly’s arrival at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have heavily focused on signing the best young stars from around the globe. This summer, they have continued this recruitment strategy, bringing in talents like Marc Guiu and Omari Kellyman. Ganiwu could be the next to join, as Chelsea have already given him a trial.
According to Osman, Ganiwu is currently on trial at Chelsea and played in a friendly against Sheffield Wednesday U18s on Tuesday. Managed by the same agency as Chelsea defender Levi Colwill, Ganiwu has caught the attention of the Blues, who are keen on the young midfielder.
Youth scout Antonio Mango has described Ganiwu as a ‘young Michael Essien,’ noting his ability to make ‘line-breaking passes’ and his physical presence in the midfield. With the Ghanaian youth international training at Cobham this week, Chelsea appears hopeful of securing a deal.
Osman reports that Ganiwu has ‘impressed massively’ during his trial, including in the friendly against Sheffield Wednesday. He is now expected to feature more regularly for the youth teams before Chelsea makes a decision on his future.
Ganiwu joins a host of young talents being evaluated by Chelsea. The club has already signed Kellyman, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, and Guiu—all 21 or under—during the current transfer window. In previous windows, they brought in Angelo, Deivid Washington, and Diego Moreira as part of their strategy to acquire the best global talents.
Managing and developing so many young players will be a challenge for the west London club. Enzo Maresca currently has an inflated squad, so many new signings may leave on loan ahead of the 2024/2025 season.
Ganiwu, who has been on trial at several European clubs, including RC Lens and RB Salzburg since last year, was part of Laryea Kingston’s team that participated in the UEFA U16 invitational tournament last year.
