Fabio Gama: Asante Kotoko's Brazilian star replaces Asamoah Gyan as Ghana Premier League poster boy - Report twitter facebook reddit twitter facebook reddit

Asante Kotoko's Brazilian playmaker Fabio Gama Dos Santos has emerged as the most attractive player in the Ghana Premier League, taking over from legendary Black Stars striker Asamoah Gyan.

According to the African Sports Centre for Data, Research and Technology's 2021 Ghana Premier League Report, the former Brazil U17 and U20 attacker rose above Hearts of Oak duo Daniel Afriyie Barnieh and Ibrahim Salifu and former club-mate Emmanuel Gyamfi to clinch the title.

The Ghana Premier League Report, an annual survey report released ahead of the start of a new season, focuses on fan behaviour in relation to revenue opportunities, particularly in football interest and awareness, patronage and consumption, and commerce.

In the top four most attractive players announced on Wednesday, Gama ruled supreme as the choice of 23 per cent of survey respondents.

Barnieh, who captained Ghana to U20 Africa Cup of Nations success in March and received his first senior Ghana call-up in September, were placed second with 11%, just one mark above teammate Salifu.

Gyamfi, who starred for Kotoko last season, came out fourth with 5%.

In the 2020 report ahead of last season, Ghana legend Asamoah emerged as the player with the highest pull on fans, polling a staggering 52%, after joining Legon Cities in a sensational deadline day move. He, however, endured a difficult campaign, making just a handful of appearances and ending the term without a goal.

"Attractive" was defined as "the one player mostly likely to draw or pull a fan to watch a GPL game or follow the GPL".

Gama's rise signifies a remarkable change in fortunes in Ghana following his transfer to Kotoko last year.

Without a club for some months ahead of his move, the 29-year-old joined the Porcupine Warriors in a two-year deal, becoming the third Brazilian since 2005 after Gleisson de Souza Ferreira (2005) and Hermes da Silva (2013).

Earlier this week, the midfielder declared himself the best player in GPL, saying, "In my mind, I am always at the top but we have good players [in Ghana]. It is impossible to choose three or five or 10 options because you have more than that [but I am the top one]."

Gama has also previously played in Sweden where he was on the books of Varnamo and Jonkopings Sondra.

The 2021-22 GPL season kicks off on October 29.