Coventry City don sign Ghana midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi as their record player, and di club dey expect big things from am. Di 20-year-old boy join from FC Nordsjaelland for around £26 million, wey fit rise to £30 million with add-ons. E be di biggest transfer fee wey Coventry don ever pay, and na di biggest amount any Scandinavian club don ever collect.
Before im official debut for pre-season against Monaco, Yirenkyi don already show why people dey hype am. Against Monaco, e start and im performance catch eye well well. E don make plenty interceptions, e dey run di whole field, and e even provide assist for Loum Tchaouna. After di game, coach Frank Lampard talk say dem need to convince di boy to come, because plenty clubs for Europe want am. We get strong belief for Caleb, e don add. Dem sell di project to am.
Yirenkyi story na one kind wey sweet for ear. E come from Right to Dream academy for Ghana, wey get name for producing talent. From small, e dey live for Nordsjaelland campus, e no want leave. Alexander Riget, di technical director, talk say e be special person. I neva see player like am from personality perspective. E so humble, e just dey focus for im football and shut out noise.
But e no start smooth. When e first reach Denmark, e bin dey too aggressive for training. One story wey Riget tell say dem comot am from training because e dey crash into key players. Dem need to tell am make e calm down, learn how to use im energy. E bin get so much power inside am wey e wan just release am. But im time for development side help am get better.
Michael Essien, di former Chelsea star, na big mentor for am. Essien bin dey as coach for Nordsjaelland and e talk say Yirenkyi always be hard worker with great mentality. E be great listener, and though e face bumps for road, e keep at am. Essien also talk say e go develop well under Frank Lampard. Lamper na legend, e no dey fear to play young players. I expect Caleb go get chance to show wetin e get.
Yirenkyi don show im quality for international stage. For Ghana opening World Cup game against Panama, e score late winner with powerful run enter box. E be only second Ghanaian man to score on im World Cup debut. After that, im performance against England show say e fit handle top players. E dey play for central midfield, but e fit also play as right-back or left centre-back. Last season for Superliga, e win possession more than any other player, and dem crown am young player of year.
But e still get things to improve. Riget talk say im in-possession game need more development, but e dey learn. So much time on ball go be limited for Premier League, but im physical power, im ability to run, and im strength for duels go help am. Nordsjaelland dey confident say e go thrive.
Off di pitch, Yirenkyi character dey shine. E dey very humble wey e no dey form. E even stay for Farum during off-season to reach peak condition. E dey fly drone for training camp just because e wan help staff. E learn robotics for school and even win national prize. When e join Coventry, dem ask am wetin e go do if e no be footballer, and e say e go build robots.
One touching story: e spend Christmas Eve with im transitions coach family for Denmark. Di coach grandma, wey get 85 years, start to watch every Nordsjaelland game because of Yirenkyi. Now she go follow am for Coventry. E always be last person to leave dressing room, e dey make sure everywhere clean. When e leave Nordsjaelland, im room bin clean, and e leave flowers and card. E be special character, for sure.
Coventry go mark dia return to Premier League after 25 years when dem face champions Arsenal for Emirates Stadium on August 21. Yirenkyi go even make im full debut for that match? E don already show against Monaco say e fit di level. Lampard dey talk say e believe say di boy go get big career. We just dey wait see how e go take shine for England.
