On Monday night, Jonas Adjetey completed his move to Bundesliga side VfLWolfsburg.
Basel and Wolfsburg exchanged paperwork on time, ending the Ghanaian’s four-year association with the Swiss side. When you look at it this way, it would appear that Adjetey has served well and deserves a chance at the dance in the big leagues.
And Wolfsburg is not half a world away from Basel. Had Wolfsburg not been in a hurry to beat the transfer deadline, they could have put Adjetey on Monday’s late afternoon Deutsche Bahn, and he would be in Northern Germany within six hours.
But what awaits the Black Stars defender after crossing the border?
The headquarters of Volkswagen, for starters.
Once he is done exploring the Autostadt and Wolfsburg’s architectural magnificence, reality comes.
Before any of that, let’s take it back to yesterday.
Adjetey spent nearly half of his four years in Basel, learning the ropes.
His first season was mostly spent undergoing acclimatization.
The following season (2023/24), he started getting minutes and made 11 appearances, starting in 9 of them.
He kicked on from then and made 29 starts in 32 appearances in the 2024/25 season, while averaging 81 minutes per game.
He is on track to match those numbers this term, having made 15 appearances already.
The consistency has helped in improving aspects of his game. Adjetey is now more assured in the tackle and times them better than before.
By all accounts, he is having a season to remember.
It is hardly surprising, then, that he has suitors.
So why move now?
Staying in Switzerland at least until the end of the season would have made a lot of sense. At Basel, Adjetey is king. He starts every match and would have clocked over 60 Swiss League appearances by season’s end.
That would mean adding 13 more appearances, and with 16 matches to end the season, there is no reason to believe that Adjetey cannot reach that mark.
Once he does, he could very well play his way into contention for a starting place for Ghana at the World Cup.
He is rated highly by Black Stars coach Otto Addo, who started him in Ghana’s last match against South Korea.
With Salisu Mohammed’s ACL injury, the next five months are essentially a time for interested parties to audition to be Alexander Djiku’s partner as Ghana’s first-choice center-back options.
What’s more, Otto Addo is wedded to the 3-back system and is expected to use it in at least two of Ghana’s group-stage games at the World Cup (against England and Croatia).
So, while the allure of the Autostadt remains as powerful, Philly’s Longwood Gardens present an equally fascinating experience if only Adjetey can make it.
But why not get the best of both worlds, eh?
He could very well make the move, play regularly, and still start for the Black Stars at the World Cup.
Wolfsburg is not exactly stacked with Beckenbauer regens.
At the moment, there is a remarkable shortage of central defenders within their ranks.
Greek defender Konstantinos Koulierakis and Denis Vavro, who have featured regularly, are all out with varying degrees of injury.
Jenson Seelt, whom they signed on loan from Sunderland, has a knee problem, while new signing Cleiton is also out with an ankle injury.
In all likelihood, Adjetey would get opportunities.
Injuries aside, Wolfsburg are perilously close to the drop zone, with just one point above the relegation play-off spot. But this is exactly the kind of challenge Adjetey relishes. It is consistent with the personality he first exhibited when at Berekum Chelsea.
In Germany, the spotlight will be bigger than anything Adjetey has ever experienced. He will be under close surveillance by the over 3 billion people who watch the Bundesliga.
Go on then, Adjetey, and make it work.
When it does, bring home the 1965 Mini Cadillac V-16 from the Autostadt. I am sure you can afford it!
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