Dreams FC dismisses Najeeb Yakubu’s allegation of recruitment attempt

Dreams FC has dismissed claims made by Najeeb Yakubu, a Niger international, alleging that the club sought to sign him during his youth career.

Najeeb Yakubu was a member of Ghana’s U-17 team, the Black Starlets, which made it to the finals of the U-17 AFCON, only to narrowly miss out on the title after a heartbreaking loss to Mali in the championship match, but the lack of affection from Ghana led to a painful decision that has left many questioning his loyalty.

During an interview on Prime Take with Muftawu Nabila Abdulai on JoyNews, Najeeb alleged that GFA President Kurt Okraku intentionally excluded him from Ghana’s U23 squad for a 2021 trip to Japan due to unresolved personal issues.

I believe Kurt [Okraku] removed my name from the U23 squad that travelled to Japan for the friendlies. He seems to have a personal problem with me. When I was in the U17 team, he [Okraku] wanted me to join Dreams FC, but I couldn’t. I think he held that against me.

Dreams FC sets the record straight

A representative of Dreams FC, speaking to Joy Sports, firmly denied the allegations, asserting that no effort was ever made to recruit Najeeb.

At no point did Kurt Okraku or anyone from the club try to sign Najeeb Yakubu. The only interaction we had with him was when he was in Ukraine, and that discussion was unrelated to joining Dreams FC. The conversation revolved around recommending him for the Black Stars since the team was struggling to fill the right-back position at the time.

Yakubu was part of the Niger squad that defeated Ghana in the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Accra Sports Stadium, intensifying public attention on his strained relationship with Ghana’s football authorities.

Broader implications

Najeeb’s allegations have sparked conversations about potential biases in Ghana’s football administration. However, Dreams FC has distanced itself from the controversy, reiterating its commitment to focusing on the league and player development.

Read Full Story