[Link] Kouassi Eboue

He looks like Pogba.

 

As long as he don't play like him we'll be fine

 

Manager seems to be very business minded, already looking at the next move

 

thinking that myself , must have had a hard paper round .

 

Apparently Club Brugge wanted him as well. Sounds like we've done well here.

 

Seen him in ASDA today I just walked past him should have asked him to sign my top

 

How do you know all this? You working for the club?

 

KOUASSI EBOUE is on the verge of a life-changing, megabucks move to Celtic.

But don’t think for a second the Ivory Coast wonderkid will ever forget his roots.

The 19-year-old is dreaming of the Champions League as he closes in on a £2.8million transfer from Russian side FC Krasnodar.

It would be a meteoric rise for the midfielder, who only started playing organised football a few years ago.

Michel Bende was Eboue’s first coach at the tiny AFSA Academie in his homeland and remembers a small kid who turned up with no boots.


He ended up giving him his, and watched in awe as the new Bhoy ran riot on a dusty pitch in Abobo, northern Abidjan.

Five years later, after hitting the big time in Russia, Eboue repaid the favour — with interest.

Bende told SunSport: “There is a saying ‘Someone doesn’t need to have billions of pounds to help his fellow man’.

“That is a lesson that Kouassi gave last year when he started to make progress at Krasnodar.

“He sent the children of the academy 21 pairs of brand new football boots. This was a big gesture that should be commended. He showed a big heart and made all the children happy.

“They all dream of becoming like him and playing professional football at the highest level.

“Kouassi sending those boots helped them with their training as they try to achieve that ambition.

“Everyone at the club is fiercely proud of Kouassi’s achievements.

“I have known him since he was 12. He came to the academy for the first time in April 2010.

“It was difficult for Kouassi to find boots at that time. He came from a very poor background.

“I would loan him my boots so he could play in the games. He remembers it and often laughs about it when he comes to visit me.

“He is always here to see us when he is in Abidjan. That means a lot to everyone at the club.

“Kouassi has done so well in Russia with Krasnodar and now he is going to Celtic. We are all so happy for him.

“He really deserves this success. He has always been very motivated and ambitious.”

The motto of AFSA Academie is ‘Dream bigger, always stronger’. But Bende always felt the sky was the limit for Eboue, who stood out from his very first training session.

His football idol is Manchester United superstar Paul Pogba and the teenager dreams of emulating the Manchester United star’s achievements in the game.

Whether he manages that lofty goal or not, only time will tell.

But Bende believes he has all the attributes to be a major star of the European game if he continues his rise.

Celtic have had good success in developing players like Victor Wanyama and Virgil van Dijk in recent years.

The Hoops have bought rough diamonds for modest fees and sold them on for a fortune after a few years.

Brendan Rodgers and the Parkhead board will hope that Eboue can follow a similar path over the next few years.

And Bende, one of the most highly-respected youth coaches in the Ivory Coast, has no doubts that his star pupil can go all the away.

He said: “The player he most reminds me of is Pogba, who is a hero for Kouassi.

“They play football the same way and also have a similar running style.

“From the first moment I saw Kouassi play at the AFSA Academie, I felt he was destined to play at the highest level. He had that level of ability.

His technique on the ball was beautiful and he was also very aggressive in both games and training.

“On top of that, he had an exceptional mentality towards football. He wanted to be a professional. He worked very hard at his game and improved as the years went on.

“It was no surprise to me that he succeeded.

“But Kouassi is still very young and there is time for him to get even better.”

Yet it all could have turned out very differently for Eboue as he also excelled off the pitch at school.

Not surprisingly, his parents placed great importance on his education and were wary of him pursuing a career in football at such a young age.

They felt that Eboue would be wiser to put his studies first when he had the chance to move to Armenian club Shirak in early 2014.

But instead, he followed his football dream and Bende revealed how he was instrumental in that decision.

He said: “Initially, Kouassi’s parents did not want him to play football.

 

He needs to dye that strip of hair green.

 

According to the express Monaco and Genk were both in for him but he chose us.

 

He's had a * of a paper round if he's 19

 

According to 4-4-2 he has turned 20 now. Does anybody know his real age. He looks older to me.
And he dozen't look very happy

 

Or put green hoops in it

 

FFS you creep get out of his closet

 

Looks like something we needed.... something no one has mentioned though.... what's happening to Ajer... came in with almost the same judgment and praise but got lost in the academy....hopefully he comes in and shines! For 2.8m Brendan must have first team intentions for him right away!