Mohammed Salisu

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Mohammed Salisu
Real Valladolid-Valencia CF, 2019-05-18 (53) (cropped).jpg
Salisu in 2019
Personal information
Full name Mohammed Salisu Abdul Karim[1]
Date of birth (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 22)[2]
Place of birth Kumasi, Ghana
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Centre-back
Club information
Current team
 Southampton
Number 22
Youth career
2012–2013 Kumasi Barcelona Babies
2013–2015 WAFA
2017 African Talent Football Academy
2017–2018 Valladolid
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Valladolid B 39 (1)
2019–2020 Valladolid 31 (1)
2020– Southampton 39 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:08, 13 March 2022 (UTC)

Mohammed Salisu Abdul Karim (born 17 April 1999) is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Southampton.

Salisu started his senior career with Valladolid, featuring for the reserve side before making his first team debut in 2019. He made 34 appearances for the club before joining Southampton for a £10.9 million fee in 2020.

Club career[]

Early career[]

Born in Kumasi, Salisu started his career at his local youth club Kumasi Barcelona Babies before joining West African Football Academy in 2013.[3][4] He left the latter for personal reasons in 2015,[5] and then remained over a year without a club before impressing on a trial at the newly formed Nsawam branch of the African Talent Football Academy in March 2017.[6] In October 2017, he joined Real Valladolid's youth setup.[7]

Valladolid[]

2017–18 season[]

Salisu made his senior debut with the reserves on 28 January 2018, starting in a 4–2 Segunda División B home loss against Coruxo. On 1 March, he extended his contract until 2021.[8] He scored his first senior goal on 29 April, netting the equaliser in the 82nd minute of a 2–2 away draw against Racing Ferrol.[9]

2018–19 season[]

On 16 July 2018, Salisu was promoted to the senior Valladolid squad.[10] He made his professional debut on 9 January 2019, starting in a 1–0 away loss against Getafe in that season's Copa del Rey.[11] On 22 May 2019, Salisu extended his contract to keep him at the club until 2022.[12]

2019–20 season[]

He made his La Liga debut on 18 August, starting in a 2–1 away victory over Real Betis.[13] After the departure of Fernando Calero to Espanyol, Salisu became a starter for the Castile and León side, partnering Kiko Olivas.[14][15] On 26 October 2019, he scored his first professional goal by netting the second goal of a 2–0 home win against Eibar.[16]

Southampton[]

2020–21 season[]

On 12 August 2020, Salisu joined Premier League club Southampton for a fee worth £10.9 million. The English club had triggered a buyout clause in the defender's contract with Salisu putting pen to paper on a four-year deal.[17] Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl hailed his new signing, saying he was a future prospect who had all the qualities to come to the Premier League and help Southampton.[17]

Mohammed is a player who fits our profile well. He is young and has a great amount of potential, but he is also someone who has the qualities to come in and help the team as soon as he is up to speed with our way of playing.

— Ralph Hasenhüttl hailing Salisu after signing him from Valladolid.[17]

Salisu had yet to feature for Southampton three months after he had signed with Hasenhüttl providing an update in November 2020, stating:

''There is still a way to go I think for being match fit, but I am very happy he's here. He's a long-term project and I am sure that he will play a lot of games for us.''[18]

Salisu made his Southampton debut on 11 February 2021, six months after signing for the club, playing the full 90 minutes and keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 FA Cup away victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers as Danny Ings and Stuart Armstrong scored a goal each to send Southampton through to the quarter-finals of the competition.[19][20][21]

He made his Premier League debut three days later when he came on in the 72nd minute to replace the injured Kyle Walker-Peters, also against Wolverhampton Wanderers ending with a 2–1 loss at home.[22][23] Salisu made his first Premier League start the following week in a 1–1 draw with Chelsea, putting in an impressive performance.[24]

2021–22 season[]

On 21 September 2021, Salisu scored his first professional goal for Southampton against Sheffield United in the EFL Cup which ended 2–2 at full time before Southampton advanced 4–2 on penalties.[25] On 28 December 2021, Salisu gave away a penalty and got a red card after receiving his second booking for a foul on Son Heung-Min, with the game against Tottenham ending in a 1–1 draw.[26]

International career[]

In November 2019, Salisu received his first call-up to Ghana's senior squad, after being named by Kwesi Appiah in the squad for the 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against South Africa and São Tomé and Príncipe.[27] He withdrew from the squad citing injury problems.[28] In 2020, after C.K. Akonnor was appointed as manager of the national team, according to media speculation he made attempts to reach him but his efforts proved futile as seemed Salisu was not interested in playing for the team.[29][30] His family later came out with a statement to refute all the information within the public space that suggested his refusal to play for the national team. The statement read that '' We further wish to state unequivocally that our son is a proud Ghanaian and very ready to represent Ghana at every level and time''.[29][30] His elder brother later granted an interview on local radio station Angel FM talking about his brother's call up snub into the Black Starlets, the Ghana U-17 team whilst he was playing in Ghana, due his inability to pay to be in the team and not because his performance was substandard.[30]

In April 2021, during an interview with MozzartSport Kenya, Salisu stated that he would be proud to play for the national team but it was not the right time for him to play and that he needed to focus on his club career. He concluded that when everything is fine at club level, he can go and play for the national team.[28][31]

Career statistics[]

Club[]

As of match played 13 March 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Real Valladolid B 2017–18[32] Segunda División B 13 1 — — — 13 1
2018–19[32] Segunda División B 26 0 — — — 26 0
Total 39 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 1
Real Valladolid 2018–19[33] La Liga 0 0 2 0 — — 2 0
2019–20[34] La Liga 31 1 1 0 — — 32 1
Total 31 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 34 1
Southampton 2020–21[35] Premier League 12 0 3 0 0 0 — 15 0
2021–22[36] Premier League 27 0 0 0 2 1 — 29 1
Total 39 0 3 0 2 1 0 0 44 1
Career total 109 2 6 0 2 1 0 0 117 3
  1. ^ Includes appearances in the Copa del Rey and the FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes appearances in the EFL Cup

References[]

  1. ^ "M. Salisu". BeSoccer. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Mohammed Salisu: Personal details". Premier League. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  3. ^ Afadzinu, Nene (11 August 2020). "Mohammed Salisu: Ghana's next defensive stalwart?". 3news. Retrieved 20 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Mohammed Salisu: Ghana's next defensive stalwart?". GhanaWeb. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  5. ^ Ampofo, Owuraku (12 August 2020). "5 things you didn't know about Southampton's new signing Mohammed Salisu". Joy Sports. Retrieved 25 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ Anka, Carl (11 August 2020). "Bootless in Kumasi, a star in Spain: Mohammed Salisu's rise to Southampton". The Athletic. Retrieved 25 August 2020.
  7. ^ Adams, Nuhu (29 November 2017). "Feature: Nsawam-based African Talent Football Academy launches operations". Ghana Soccernet. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  8. ^ "Salisú amplía su contrato hasta 2021" [Salisú extends his contract until 2021] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid CF. 1 March 2018. Archived from the original on 24 September 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  9. ^ "Racing Ferrol 2–2 Real Valladolid II". Goal. Leeds: DAZN Group. 29 April 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  10. ^ "Salisú da el salto" [Salisú makes the jump] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid CF. 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  11. ^ Pérez, José (9 January 2019). "Ángel sale al rescate" [Ángel comes to the rescue]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  12. ^ "Salisu amplía contrato hasta 2022" [Salisu extends contract until 2022] (in Spanish). Real Valladolid CF. 22 May 2019. Archived from the original on 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  13. ^ Darkwah, Frank (19 August 2019). "Spanish La Liga side Real Valladolid commends Mohammed Salisu for making senior debut". Ghana Sports Online. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  14. ^ Martínez, Carlos Raúl (26 August 2019). "Salisu pisa fuerte en su debut en la máxima categoría" [Salisu comes out strong in his debut in the top tier]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  15. ^ Leone, Alessandro (18 October 2019). "Salisu, el muro del Valladolid" [Salisu, the wall of Valladolid]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  16. ^ Fayiga, Kunle (26 October 2019). "Salisu nets first ever Valladolid goal in 2–0 win over Eibar". Goal. Leeds: DAZN Group. Retrieved 4 November 2019.
  17. ^ a b c "Mohammed Salisu: Southampton sign defender from Real Valladolid". Sky Sports. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  18. ^ Rose, Dan (20 November 2020). "Salisu still has 'a way to go' before match fitness, says Hasenhuttl". Southern Daily Echo. Southampton: Newsquest. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  19. ^ Narkortu Teye, Prince (11 February 2021). "Mohammed Salisu: Ghanaian centre-back makes Southampton debut after six months". Goal. Leeds: DAZN Group. Retrieved 11 February 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  20. ^ Morgan, Richard (11 February 2021). "Wolverhampton Wanderers 0–2 Southampton". Sky Sports. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  21. ^ Amoasi Appiah, Samuel Ekow (11 February 2021). "Mohammed Salisu makes Southampton debut in FA Cup win over Wolverhampton". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  22. ^ Chowdhury, Saj (14 February 2021). "Southampton 1–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  23. ^ Crocker, Tom (14 February 2021). "Saints dealt fresh Kyle Walker-Peters injury blow". Southern Daily Echo. Southampton: Newsquest. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  24. ^ Smyth, Rob (20 February 2021). "Southampton 1–1 Chelsea". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 20 February 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ "Sheffield United 2–2 Southampton". BBC Sport. 21 September 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ Reddy, Luke (28 December 2021). "Southampton 1–1 Tottenham: 10-man Saints hold Spurs at St Mary's". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  27. ^ Teye, Prince Narkortu (17 November 2019). "Afcon 2021 qualifying: Ghana call up Real Valladolid prodigy Salisu in 23-man squad". Goal.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  28. ^ a b Tahiru, Fentuo (26 April 2021). ""I will play for Ghana but I'm not ready yet" – Mohammed Salisu". Citi Sports Online. Retrieved 20 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  29. ^ a b "C.K Akonnor justifies the omission of Mohammed Salisu in 23-man squad for Mali friendly". Citi Sports Online. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  30. ^ a b c "The inside story of why Mohammed Salisu is allegedly unwilling to play for Ghana". GhanaWeb. 30 July 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  31. ^ Teye, Prince Narkortu (26 April 2021). "Mohammed Salisu: Southampton defender gives latest update on playing for Ghana | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 20 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  32. ^ a b "M. Salisu". Soccerway. DAZN Group. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  33. ^ "Games played by Mohammed Salisu in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  34. ^ "Games played by Mohammed Salisu in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  35. ^ "Games played by Mohammed Salisu in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Games played by Mohammed Salisu in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 November 2021.

External links[]

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