A former Premier League star was nearly left penniless after blowing the multi-million-pound fortune he amassed during his career. The player began his career in his native Ghana but was quickly picked up by Udinese, where he made a name for himself. He joined Rennes in 2008 before securing a move to Sunderland two years later.
The forward became their club-record signing and scored 11 goals in 37 games, including a last-minute equaliser against bitter rivals Newcastle. Later in his career, he joined Chinese outfit Shanghai SIPG where he reportedly earned a whopping £227,000 per week. He even splashed out on a golden Rolls Royce before losing almost all of his money a few years later.
The player in question is Asamoah Gyan, who experienced a rapid decline from being one of the world’s highest-paid footballers. Back in 2018, he confessed that he was almost out of money because he had not been paid for several months.
In an interview with Ghanaian media, he showed that his bank balance was a mere £600 and said: “My front and back, up and down is that money you see there.”
To make matters worse, Gyan had become embroiled in a bitter legal annulment saga with his former wife. Their court battle involved allegations of infidelity and paternity doubts, resulting in DNA tests being conducted.
A court eventually ruled that Gyan was indeed the biological father of his three children. He was also ordered to hand over various assets to his ex-wife, including a residence in the UK, a four-bedroom house in Ghana, a petrol station and two vehicles.
Gyan has since reinvented himself and lives in a mansion in Accra, according to Spanish outlet Marca. He is said to have diversified his investments as a boxing promoter, philanthropist and food and drink magnate.
He even founded his own airline, Baby Jet, which was awarded a licence to operate by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority. However, the business never got going and ceased operations in 2019 without overseeing a single flight.
Gyan has also dabbled in politics, becoming involved with the centre-right New Patriotic Party at one stage. However, he later declared that he was denouncing the party in order to prioritise his humanitarian work.
In a statement, he said: “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 my humanitarian work and help the youth of Ghana in my own small way. Nothing political. I wish all of the political parties a peaceful election. God bless our homeland.”
