"Badjo" from Ghana: what is known about the potential newcomer to "Kharkiv"

According to the information from the well-known football insider Igor Burbas, Kharkiv continues to work on the transfer of 20-year-old Ghanaian winger Douglas Owusu. If the parties manage to successfully conclude negotiations, the Kharkiv club may acquire one of the most talented young players who have made a name for themselves in the Serbian championship in recent years.

We decided to get to know Owusu better and understand how a graduate of a lower division club in Ghana made his way from Red Star and attracted the attention of European clubs in less than two years.

From the fifth division of Ghana to the Serbian football giant

Douglas Owusu was born on April 10, 2006, in Cape Coast, Ghana. He took his first steps in football at the local club Asekem, which played in the lower divisions of the country. At that time, the young winger was almost unknown outside Ghana, but even then he stood out with explosive speed, technique, and one-on-one play.

In the summer of 2024, at the age of 18, Owusu moved to Serbia, signing a contract with Radnik from Surdulica.

The move was his first experience in European football, but the adaptation was very quick. In his debut season, the Ghanaian became one of the key players in the team.

Playing style: speed, dribbling, and creativity

Douglas Owusu is a left-footed winger who mainly operates on the right flank of the attack, from where he likes to shift towards the center onto his working foot. Despite his short stature - 165 cm, the Ghanaian stands out for good coordination, sharp change of direction, and the ability to outplay opponents one-on-one with speed.

Owusu's main strengths are explosive acceleration, ball control technique, creativity, and the ability to create sharpness in the final third of the field. He can advance the ball on his own, open up behind defenders, create opportunities for teammates, and finish attacks.

How Owusu became one of the revelations of the Serbian championship

After moving to Serbia, Douglas Owusu quickly made a name for himself. Thanks to his bright play, he was nicknamed "Baggio" after the legendary Italian footballer Roberto Baggio.

In his debut season, the Ghanaian helped Radnik win the First League and return to the elite division, and within a few months, he became one of the main revelations of the Serbian SuperLiga.

In the first half of the 2025/26 season, Owusu scored 7 goals in 20 matches of the championship. For a team fighting for survival, this was an outstanding performance - practically every third goal scored by Radnik involved the direct participation of the Ghanaian winger.

Overall, during the season, Douglas played 32 matches, scored 9 goals, provided 1 assist, and played over 2500 minutes. It was after such a breakthrough that he began to be called one of the best young wingers in the Serbian league.

According to the Data'Scout analytical platform, Owusu was among the top two wingers in the Serbian championship in terms of the attacking flank player profile. His main strengths are considered explosive speed, quality dribbling, the ability to create opportunities for teammates, and effectively finish attacks.

What they wrote about him in Serbia

After moving to Red Star, the Telegraf publication described Owusu as "an extremely fast and explosive player who constantly creates serious problems for the opponent's defense with his bursts and technique." Journalists also emphasized that his transfer was an investment by the club in one of the most promising young players in the region.

Interest in the Ghanaian winger was shown not only by Serbian giants. According to foreign media, among the contenders for his signature were Norwegian Bodø/Glimt, Czech Viktoria Plzeň, Dutch Feyenoord, Greek Aris, Turkish Samsunspor, Belgian Westerlo, Saudi Al-Ahli, as well as Metalist 1925 (now FC Kharkiv).

Kharkiv's interest in Owusu was already present last winter, but the 20-year-old winger chose to move to the Serbian giant at that time.

Why Red Star is willing to let Owusu go

In winter 2026, Red Star bought Douglas Owusu from Radnik for 2.2 million euros. However, according to the media, the Belgrade club has not yet fully settled with the player's previous team. Therefore, the Serbian giant is willing to let the 20-year-old winger go to Kharkiv if the Ukrainian club compensates the same amount - 2.2 million euros.

The current contract of the Ghanaian winger with Red Star is valid until December 31, 2028.

Rapid growth of market value

According to Transfermarkt, Douglas Owusu's current market value is 4.5 million euros. In the last six months, the player's value has almost doubled - by approximately 2 million euros, indicating his rapid progress and increasing interest from European clubs.

If the transfer to Kharkiv takes place, the Ghanaian winger will become the most expensive player in the Ukrainian club's squad according to the authoritative portal's assessment, surpassing all current players of the team in terms of market value.

Currently, negotiations between FC Kharkiv and the parties are ongoing. If the transfer is successfully completed, the Kharkiv club will receive a young player with good experience in Serbia, high development potential, and an already established reputation as one of the most interesting young wingers in the local championship.