A footballing thoroughbred, Jordan Ayew was always destined for a career in the beautiful game.
Born in 1991, his father was Abedi Pele who was regarded as one of the greatest African players of all-time, while his uncle Kwame Ayew was also a full Ghana international.
In 2006, both Jordan and his older brother Andre continued to show their pedigree by joining Marseille’s youth team, and three years later, Jordan penned his first professional deal.
At the end of that year he was handed his senior debut against Lorient and marked the occasion by popping up with a goal in a 2-1 win.
L’OM would win the Ligue 1 title at the end of that season, and just 10 months after debuting, Jordan was handed his first Ghana cap in a victory against Swaziland.
As the seasons rolled by, he gradually became more of an influence in the Marseille side, forging strike partnerships with his brother, Loic Remy and Andre-Pierre Gignac, and in 2012 he was called up for the Africa Cup of Nations where he helped his nation to the semi-finals.
Towards the end of the 2013/14 campaign, he sought out first-team football with the World Cup looming and joined Sochaux on loan, where he hit five goals in 17 league games to solidify his spot at the tournament in Brazil and play against the USA, Germany and Portugal.
With opportunities running out in the south of France, he left the Stade Velodrome for Lorient where his 12 goals played a huge part in keeping the club in the top-flight during a campaign that also saw him feature in the 2015 AFCON, but that would end in heartbreak as the Ivory Coast edged out Ghana in the final on penalties.
His displays in 2014/15 caught the attention of Aston Villa, who were searching for a new striker following Christian Benteke’s departure to Liverpool.
£8 million was enough to secure his services, and he would net seven Premier League goals in his first season in England before switching to Swansea City in January 2017 whilst at his third Africa Cup of Nations, where again he helped Ghana to the semi-finals.
After finding his feet in south Wales, he would hit 11 goals for the Swans last term to finish as top scorer, which included goals home and away against Palace.
He was joined for the second half of the season by his brother Andre on loan from West Ham United, but the duo couldn’t prevent relegation despite the efforts of Jordan, who scooped the Players’ Player of the Year award at the campaign’s conclusion.
However, after completing his move to Selhurst Park he has been handed the chance to return to the Premier League where he hopes to pick up where he left off.