Baba Rahman urged to emulate Lukaku and show Chelsea what they will be missing

Posted Wednesday, January 17, 2018 by squawka.com

Baba Rahman has been urged to leave Chelsea in order to revive his career at another club by former-Ghana international Samuel Johnson.

The left-back joined Chelsea from FC Augsburg in the summer of 2015 but has made only 23 appearances for the Londoners – he spent last season on loan at Schalke 04.

His countryman Johnson, who made 45 appearances for Ghana, spoke to Goal about Rahman's chances of replicating Romelu Lukaku and proving himself at another club.

"Baba is young, but he needs to play," Johnson said. "Let's think about ourselves. He is our national player, so if he's there [Chelsea] and not playing, when he comes [to the national team], it's going to affect us.

"Chelsea fought over [Romelu] Lukaku, the same person the club sent away some time. That is how the thing is. So he [Baba] should go, get playing time and let's see what happens.

"We should just pray and support him in whatever decision he's taking, so far as football is concerned, because he's in our team, and that is what we have. He needs to play, be perfect and come and help the nation."

According to ESPN, Antonio Conte told Rahman he was "too attacking" to play for Chelsea in 2016, and so he was sent back to Germany on loan. Conte's reasoning is strange considering first-choice left-back Marcos Alonso is also more proficient going forward than he is at the back.

Rahman hasn't played for Chelsea at all this season, but it's worth comparing his stats from the previous campaign with Alonso's this year. Alonso certainly creates more chances per 90 minutes, but Baba wins more tackles, suggesting he is the more defensive-minded player of the two.

Johnson added: "If he [Baba] keeps playing at club level, comes to the national team and plays well, if he goes for a tournament [with the national team] and he plays well there, definitely another club will pick him."