The former Liberty Professionals goalkeeper is fit to play again after surgery on a damaged knee finally gave him the chance to play football again. Now he is headed for Accra with a view to signing for premier league side Bechem Chelsea. “I am happy with the way things have gone and now I just want to play again. I am close to a deal with Chelsea and hope I can sort it out once I am back,” he told KickOffGhana.com. Banahene was goalkeeper of the Ghana U-17 side that reached the semi finals of the 1997 world U-17 championships and also captained the U-20 side on their run to second place behind Argentina at the World Youth Championships two years later. But the injury stalled a promising career until John Paintsil, his team mate at junior international level paid for surgery. Banahene says he will forever be grateful to the Fulham right back. “He has been extremely kind to me and I feel the best way to say thank you to him is to start playing again. Even after the surgery he has done everything he can to ensure I get a club.” Banahene spent at the Ghana team base on Tuesday night with Paintsil, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari who were all team mates at youth level reminiscing on the good old times. Now he is hopes soon he will be much more than a visitor at the team base.
Banahene heads back home
