Karl Tufuoh, a seasoned journalist and lecturer, has lauded the late Christian Atsu as Ghana's most talented footballer since Abedi Ayew Pele.
Speaking on Metro TV, Tufuoh opined that Atsu had more ability than the likes of Michael Essien and Stephen Appiah, but could not realize his full potential.
“If you take away Abedi Pele, I think the most gifted player since Abedi left the scene has been Atsu.
“The only problem is that Atsu didn’t fulfil his full potential. He should’ve been light years ahead of what Michael Essien did at Chelsea, because the talent was better and modern.”
The journalist explained that Atsu was far more gifted than Stephen Appiah, who is widely considered to be one of Ghana's greatest footballers. Tufuoh expressed regret that Atsu's time at Chelsea did not work out and that he had to relocate to Turkey at 31.
“And for those who think Stephen Appiah was the ultimate, no. When it comes to talent, Atsu was way ahead of him. Why didn’t it work at Chelsea?
“If it had worked out at Chelsea, he still would be there at 31, and not in Turkey. That’s what hurts and grieves me the most, because the ability of this boy was phenomenal.”
On February 18, Atsu's lifeless body was discovered in the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Turkey on February 6. The football community is mourning the loss of a talented player with enormous potential.