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Ghana captain Jordan Ayew joins Championship club Sheffield United as free agent

Jordan Ayew captained Ghana during the 2026 World Cup.
Jordan Ayew captained Ghana during the 2026 World Cup.Scott Winters / Zuma Press / Profimedia

Ghana captain Jordan Ayew has joined Sheffield United on a one-year contract after completing a move to the Championship club as a free agent.

The 34-year-old was without a club after leaving Leicester City at the end of last season, following the expiration of his contract. Sheffield United moved quickly to secure his services and have now completed the signing to add further experience to Chris Wilder's squad.

Ayew joins Sheffield United with more than a decade of experience in English football and over 500 competitive appearances across his club career.

The forward began his senior career with Marseille in France, winning the Ligue 1 title and two Coupe de la Ligue trophies during his time at the club. He also spent time with Sochaux and Lorient before moving to England with Aston Villa in 2015.

He later played for Swansea City, Crystal Palace and Leicester City, establishing himself as one of the most experienced Ghanaian players in the Premier League. Ayew made more than 200 appearances for Crystal Palace before joining Leicester in 2024.

At Leicester, Ayew helped the club compete in the Premier League before continuing in the Championship following their relegation. He scored six goals in 42 appearances across all competitions during the 2025/26 campaign.

He captained Ghana at the 2026 World Cup, starting all four matches as the Black Stars reached the knockout stage.

Wilder believes Ayew's experience at the highest level will be valuable as Sheffield United look to strengthen their squad: "We're talking about someone here with bags of experience from right at the top level of the game. Only a few months ago he was captaining Ghana in the World Cup, so he's someone with real pedigree."

Wilder also highlighted Ayew's versatility and his experience in the Championship, noting that he can operate across the forward positions and provide the Blades with additional options.

For Ayew, the move came together quickly after he received a call from Wilder while he was in Ghana: "It happened really, really quick because I was in Ghana and the manager called me last week."

The Ghana captain said he did not hesitate when the opportunity arose and is determined to make an impact at Bramall Lane: "I didn't think twice, I just took the opportunity, and the most important thing is for me to help the team and obviously for us to have a great season."

Ayew is also relishing the chance to contribute to a Sheffield United side he believes has the quality to achieve its ambitions.

"I have a lot of desire this season to make an impact and to help the team because we have a good squad and there's a lot of positive things we can do," he said.

The Ghanaian joins Wilder's squad immediately as they get ready to face Blackburn later on Tuesday night in the Championship.

Owuraku Ampofo
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