A former Premier League striker went from earning staggering amounts of money in the United Arab Emirates and China to having just £597 in his bank account
A former Premier League striker went from earning staggering amounts of money to having just £597 in his bank account.
Asamoah Gyan is a football legend – he’s the all-time leading goalscorer for Ghana, with 51 goals, and the top African goalscorer in World Cup history, with six strikes in the 2006, 2010 and 2014 tournaments. His prolific form for his country and French club Rennes earned him a club record £10m move to Sunderland in 2010.
Big things were expected of him on Wearside and he delivered in his first season, with 11 goals in 33 games. But a shock departure the following September saw the club cash in and accept a rumoured £6m loan fee so he could move to Al Ain FC in the United Arab Emirates, where he earned more than three times his previous salary.
Out in the Middle East, he raked in a reported £160,000 per week. And his hefty salary was certainly justified as he scored an impressive 112 goals in 107 matches. But an even more lucrative destination came calling, as he made the switch in 2015 to Shanghai SIPG in China under ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Gyan, who turns 40 today, (Sunday, November 22) was said to be the eighth highest-paid footballer globally at the time, pocketing a cool £227,000 per week.
However, the star striker only managed to score eight goals in 26 appearances for the team, much to the disappointment of fans who were expecting more in return for his generous salary. After stints with Kayserispor, NorthEast United and Legon Cities, Gyan hung his boots up in 2021.
Despite raking in a fortune through his footballing endeavours, he shockingly revealed he was left with only £597 in the bank. Speaking to MyNewsGh.com in 2018, he claimed: “My front and back, up and down is that money you see there.”
The football legend also showed his bank statements from Turkey, where he was plying his trade with Kayserispor at the time, backing up his startling claim – while also alleging unpaid wages by the club. Fast forward, and it seems fortune has favoured Gyan in his post-pitch life.
Off the field, Gyan has previously delved in the world of politics, tried to get a Baby Jet airline off the ground, bought his own boxing promotion, made waves in the music scene, and even kicked off a charitable foundation aimed at lifting up the “vulnerable and needy members of marginalised society”.
Speaking of his efforts to give back, Gyan was recently quoted by Marca as saying: “I have not been fair to the youth and people of Ghana. From now on I am not affiliated with any political party
“I will continue with my humanitarian work and help the youth of Ghana in my own way. Nothing political. God bless our homeland Ghana. Thank you.”
Like many footballers, Gyan has also ventured into real estate, owning several buildings and apartments which are rented out to individuals and companies.
It is not only traditional businesses that Gyan has interests in, with the striker also owning more than 30 buses which service the Ghanaian capital city of Accra.
Gyan could get discounts on fuel for his buses, as he also owns a number of petrol stations around his home nation.
As well as vehicles, Gyan also quenches the thirst of Ghana’s human population through his Paradise Pac Drinking Water company, which has introduced sachet water to the country’s market.