Abdul Fatawu has “enormous potential” and has been backed to improve in more ways than one by his Leicester City team-mates.
Fatawu vowed to learn from his mistakes after his costly red card in City’s 3-1 defeat to Coventry on Saturday. It means the winger will sit out of the club’s next three games, Championship clashes with Ipswich and Swansea either side of an FA Cup fourth-round tie against Birmingham City.
But at just 19 years of age, there is plenty of room to grow for Fatawu. After taking his red card badly, he was encouraged in the dressing room after the loss at the CBS Arena.
“The lads have said to him: ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s part of the game. You’re young’. I’m sure he’ll come back stronger because he was upset in there.”
Fatawu’s slip-up can be forgiven considering the impact he has made since joining from Sporting Lisbon on loan last summer. The teenager has thrilled supporters with his quick feet and direct dribbling, while he has provided the end product too. His seven assists this season put him sixth in the Championship charts.
Plus, in recent weeks he’s been showing his willingness to do the defensive side of the game too. Ricardo Pereira, who plays with Fatawu on the right-hand side, believes there are big things to come for the Ghanaian.
“He still has a lot to learn, but he has enormous potential,” the right-back told Portuguese outlet Tribuna Expresso. “He has many qualities, he’s fast, he has a change of direction and speed, he’s very explosive. I think he can still do a lot better, but he’s 19 years old and has a lot to progress and learn.”
