Ex-Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng has claimed Spain blocked Nico Williams from playing for the Black Stars after realising how good he is.
Boateng highlighted players like Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams as talents Ghana should have secured earlier.
The former striker wants Ghana to be proactive in courting Europe-born players
“How can we lose players like Kobbie Mainoo, Jeremy Doku, Jeremie Frimpong, and Nico Williams,” Boateng told Kingdom FM, as quoted by Ghanaweb.
“Inaki is playing for us, but why couldn’t we get Nico? Because he is good and talented, Spain blocked his chances of playing for Ghana.
“We must do a lot more, and we shouldn’t wait until they are grown up and playing before we start talking to them. By then, their parents will not even allow it because we were not there from the beginning, so why now?”
Boateng, who represented Ghana between 2001 and 2013, played a key role in the Black Satellites’ runners-up finish at the 2001 U-20 FIFA World Cup.
The 41-year-old also featured in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and FIFA World Cup for Ghana, earning over 40 caps before retiring.