Baba Rahman

1. Overview

Abdul Rahman Baba (born 2 July 1994), commonly known as Baba Rahman, is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Greek Super League club PAOK and the Ghana national team. His career began in Ghana with Dreams FC and Asante Kotoko, before he moved to Germany to play for Greuther Fürth and FC Augsburg. In 2015, he joined English Premier League side Chelsea, embarking on a series of loan spells to clubs such as Schalke 04, Reims, Mallorca, PAOK, and Reading. After eight years with Chelsea, he made a permanent move to PAOK in 2023. Rahman made his international debut for Ghana in 2014 and has since represented his country in major tournaments, including the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, where Ghana finished as runners-up, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Beyond his professional career, he is also involved in philanthropic activities in his hometown.

2. Early life

Abdul Rahman Baba was born on 2 July 1994, in Tamale, located in the Northern Region of Ghana. He is the son of Alhaji Baba, also known as Zobognaa, and Hajia Fati Baba Sibdoo. He attended Our Lady Of Fatima JHS and Young Dakpem'yili JHS, all in Tamale. His footballing journey began with his local team, Young Meteors Tamale, where he played from 2004 to 2010. At the age of 16, he was scouted by Dreams FC, an Accra-based club, marking the start of his professional development.

3. Club career

Abdul Rahman Baba's club career spans several countries, beginning in Ghana before moving to Germany, England, France, Spain, and finally Greece. His professional journey is marked by significant transfers and a series of loan spells from Chelsea, showcasing his development and adaptability across different leagues.

3.2. Germany

Rahman's first move to European football was to Germany, where he played for Greuther Fürth and FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga.

3.2.1. Greuther Fürth

On 12 June 2012, Rahman signed with Greuther Fürth, a club newly promoted to the Bundesliga. He cited his decision to join Fürth as offering "the best conditions to further develop my career." He spent two seasons with the club, making 44 appearances and scoring 2 goals. His first two goals for Fürth came on 11 August 2014 in a derby match against 1. FC Nürnberg, contributing to a decisive 5 1 home victory.

3.2.2. FC Augsburg

The day after scoring his first goals for Greuther Fürth, on 12 August 2014, Rahman signed with FC Augsburg, another club in the same division. During the 2014-15 season with Augsburg, Rahman distinguished himself with exceptional defensive statistics. He made 108 tackles, more than any other player in the Bundesliga that season, winning 90 of them for an 83% successful tackle rate. Additionally, he recorded 83 interceptions and won 80 contested aerial balls, showcasing his strength and pace as a left-back. He made 31 appearances for Augsburg before his move to Chelsea.

3.3. Chelsea

Rahman's tenure at Chelsea began in 2015, though much of his time with the club was spent on various loan spells across different European leagues.

3.3.1. 2015-16 season

On 16 August 2015, Rahman officially signed a five-year contract with Chelsea. The transfer fee was undisclosed but widely reported to be an initial 14.00 M GBP, with the potential to rise to almost 22.00 M GBP (25.00 M EUR). He made his debut for the club on 16 September in a UEFA Champions League group stage match, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4 0 home victory against Maccabi Tel Aviv. His Premier League debut followed on 17 October, in a 2 0 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge. He continued to feature as a left-back, including in Chelsea's 2 1 Champions League win over Dynamo Kyiv in November, where his cross contributed to a goal. In February 2016, a string of injuries in Chelsea's defense led to increased playing opportunities for Rahman, including a strong performance against Paris Saint-Germain. However, on 27 February, he made a defensive error that led to Shane Long scoring for Southampton in the 42nd minute; he was substituted at half time, but Chelsea eventually won 2 1. Overall, he made 23 official appearances for Chelsea during the 2015-16 season.

3.3.2. Loan to Schalke 04

On 2 August 2016, Schalke 04 confirmed that Rahman had joined them on a season-long loan. This move came after he reportedly failed to impress new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, who preferred more defensive players, as Rahman himself later stated. He was assigned the number 14 jersey and reunited with his former Augsburg manager, Markus Weinzierl, at Schalke. Rahman made his competitive debut for the Gelsenkirchen team on 20 August, playing as a winger in a 4 1 victory against FC 08 Villingen in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. His league debut occurred on 27 August, when he came on as a substitute for Sead Kolašinac in the 62nd minute of an eventual 1 0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on the opening day of the season. Rahman scored his first goal for Schalke on 15 September, netting the game's only goal in a UEFA Europa League victory against OGC Nice. His positive impact as a key player under Weinzierl was interrupted in January 2017 when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, which sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

After returning to Chelsea without securing a permanent place, Rahman rejoined Schalke 04 on loan for a second time in January 2018, agreeing to an 18-month stay until the summer of 2019.

3.3.3. Loan to Reims

In January 2019, Rahman's loan spell at Schalke 04 ended early, and he promptly returned to Chelsea. He was then immediately loaned out again, this time to French Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims until the end of the 2018-19 season.

3.3.4. Loan to Mallorca

On 2 September 2019, the final day of the summer transfer window, Rahman was once again loaned out for a season-long deal. This time, he joined Mallorca, a newly promoted club in La Liga. This move also involved a one-year extension of his contract with Chelsea.

3.3.5. Loan to PAOK (first spell)

On 30 January 2021, Rahman was loaned to PAOK for the remainder of the 2020-21 season. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his debut for the Greek side against Lamia on 20 February. His goal contributed to a 4 0 victory, which propelled PAOK to second place in the league table.

3.3.6. Loan to Reading

On 27 August 2021, Rahman joined English Championship club Reading on loan. He made his debut for the club on 10 September against Queens Park Rangers. On 31 August 2022, he rejoined Reading for a second consecutive season-long loan spell.

4. International career

Abdul Rahman Baba has had a significant international career representing the Ghana national team, participating in several major continental and global tournaments.

5. Personal life and philanthropy

Abdul Rahman Baba's jersey often features "Baba" on the back, a tribute to his father, who is a Chelsea supporter. In May 2016, Rahman married his long-time childhood girlfriend, Selma, in their shared hometown of Tamale in northern Ghana. He stands at 70 in ^{(179 cm)} and weighs 154 lb ^{(70 kg)}. He primarily uses his left foot, and wears jersey number 21.

Rahman has actively engaged in philanthropic work in Tamale, his hometown, even while pursuing his professional career in Europe. In 2021, he made significant donations of football materials and equipment to his former school and to the Tamale Juvenile Unit. These contributions were aimed at supporting the development of aspiring young sportsmen within the northern part of Ghana.

6. Honours

Abdul Rahman Baba has achieved several team and individual honours throughout his career:

• Asante Kotoko
  • Ghana Premier League: 2011-12
• PAOK
  • Super League Greece: 2023-24
  • Greek Cup: 2020-21
• Ghana
  • Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2015
  • Individual
    • Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2023-24

7. Career statistics

The following tables summarize Abdul Rahman Baba's professional career statistics at both club and international levels.