Porto face stiff competition after Yirenkyi shines at the World Cup | OneFootball

The World Cup remains a major showcase for any young player called up by their national team, and Caleb Yirenkyi is no exception. After scoring the goal that gave Ghana victory over Panama in the opening matchday, the player’s name began circulating among European clubs, with FC Porto already keeping a close eye on him.

The young Nordsjaelland prospect made the most of a pass from Brandon Thomas-Asante in the 90+5th minute to secure all three points for Carlos Queiroz’s side and spark the interest of Europe’s leading clubs.

FC Porto may have to speed up a decision on the 18-year-old midfielder, given the profile he has gained after that clinical strike and the fact he showed the ability to control the midfield and be decisive in the moments of greatest pressure.

In this opening match for Ghana and Panama, Yirenkyi recorded a 97% pass completion rate, missing just one pass all game, in addition to three successful dribbles and nine ball recoveries, while covering a total of 12 kilometres over the 90 minutes.

It is worth noting that FC Porto had already tried to sign the midfielder for 20 million euros, in an attempt to secure him before the 2026 World Cup, but Nordsjaelland stood firm on their 30 million euro valuation, a fee that would represent a record for the Danish Superliga.

Premier League clubs had also already made offers in the region of 18 million euros, which were rejected in the last January transfer window, and more recently, Real Madrid may also be keeping an eye on his performances. According to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, Michael Essien, a former player under José Mourinho, is said to have drawn the Portuguese coach’s attention to the young talent who was standing out there.

Carlos Queiroz is full of praise for the midfielder

Caleb Yirenkyi is part of Ghana’s squad for the 2026 World Cup and could fill one of the midfield spots in the team led by Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz.

“He is a player with a great future, still young, with many things to learn, because at this level everything has evolved so quickly that players need to have talent as well as experience,” said the former Portugal manager before the 2026 World Cup got under way.

However, the Portuguese coach went even further and predicted a very promising future for Caleb Yirenkyi, assuring that he has all the qualities needed to establish himself as one of the best players in the Ghana national team.

“I believe that this young player, with more games under his belt and more experience, can become one of the best players in the Ghana national team,” he added.

Playing for Nordsjaelland in Denmark, the Bechem-born player, born in January 2006, has made 34 appearances this season, registering six assists and two goals across all competitions.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.