Profile
Raymond Frimpong Owusu is a 24-year-old Ghanaian centre-forward born April 20, 2002 in Kumasi, Ghana. 186cm, right-footed. Product of the Gold Coast Football Academy before moving to Ukrainian club Zorya Luhansk in March 2021[reference:0]. After fleeing Ukraine during the 2022 invasion, he trained with Borussia Dortmund before joining Süper Lig side İstanbulspor in August 2022[reference:1]. Signed for Metalist 1925 Kharkiv in 2023 and is currently on loan at Kudrivka in the Ukrainian Premier League[reference:2][reference:3]. Ghana U20 international.
T3 Status
3/16 T3 metrics confirmed. Video assessment across 5 matches completed by Jim Totime. SII_A (Explosive Acceleration): 7.92 ✅ — real athleticism off the mark. MCS (Mental Competence): 5.2 ✅ — mixed, but meets threshold. SPI (Spatial Performance Index): 4.0 ⚠️ — only meets threshold by count (3 events), but the quality is concerning: repeated 2-3 scores for aerial/physical duels lost. This is the scout question.
Empire FGA Verdict
FGA 6.4 — RAW ATHLETICISM, BUT AERIAL DUELS ARE A CONCERN. Owusu's confirmed metrics show a player with genuine acceleration (SII_A 7.92) and a mixed mental profile (MCS 5.2). But the SPI data is the story of this card: three events logged, all in the 2-3 range for aerial/physical duels lost. For a 186cm centre-forward, this is a structural weakness. The sample is small (3 events), but the pattern is consistent enough to flag. The 5 yellow cards in 23 appearances (T1) add another layer of concern about discipline and decision-making under pressure.
Technical / Attacking
Mental — THE SCOUT QUESTION
Physical
Tier 1 — FBref · Transfermarkt · FotMob · Sofascore
Tier 2 — Composite Scores
FGA Weighting Breakdown
LOG Context
Süper Lig (İstanbulspor): Tier 2.6
Persha Liha (Metalist 1925): Tier 1.8-2.0
Owusu has played across multiple levels in Ukraine, including a brief stint in the Turkish Süper Lig. The current Premier Liha level is a step up from the second division but below the top European leagues.
Provisional FGA Calculation
Tier1 avg ≈ 6.0 (based on low goal output, yellow cards), Tier2 avg ≈ 6.5 (proxy), Tier3 avg ≈ 6.5 (SII_A 7.92, MCS 5.2, SPI 4.0).
FGA = (6.0×0.20) + (6.5×0.30) + (6.5×0.50) = 1.2 + 1.95 + 3.25 = 6.4
Tier 3 · Video Assessment · 3/16 Confirmed
For reference: The Ukrainian Premier Liha sits at LOG 2.2 (estimated), lower than the top European leagues. Owusu's career has already spanned the Ukrainian Premier Liha, Persha Liha (second division), and a brief stint in the Turkish Süper Lig. The most relevant question is whether his physical duels (SPI 4.0) would hold up at a higher level — that's exactly what the scout question is designed to answer.
Top Philosophy Fits (Proxy)
Tactical Archetype (Proxy)
"The Athletic Presser" — Owusu's confirmed metrics show a player with genuine acceleration (SII_A 7.92) who can press and make ghost runs. But the SPI data (4.0, all duels lost) suggests he struggles to translate his athleticism into physical dominance. For a 186cm centre-forward, this is a significant limitation. The "Hold-Up Target" score of 3.0 reflects this. His best fit is likely as a pressing forward who uses his acceleration to close down defenders, rather than as a traditional target man.
Career Statistics
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | Zorya Luhansk | Premier Liha | 14 | 4 | — |
| 2022-23 | İstanbulspor | Süper Lig | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023- | Metalist 1925 | Premier Liha / Persha Liha | 16 | 1 | — |
| 2025-26 | Kudrivka (loan) | Premier Liha | 23 | 1 | 2 |
| Career Total (est.) | ~54 | ~6 | ~2 | ||
Transfer History
| From → To | Fee | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast → Zorya Luhansk | Undisclosed | 2021 |
| Zorya Luhansk → İstanbulspor | Free | 2022 |
| İstanbulspor → Metalist 1925 | Undisclosed | 2023 |
| Metalist 1925 → Kudrivka (loan) | Loan | 2025 |
International Career
| Team | Period |
|---|---|
| Ghana U20 | — |
Physical Profile
Availability
✓ Positive Filters
- SII_A 7.92 (13 events, 3 matches) — genuine explosive acceleration; consistently rated 8-9 for ghost runs and pressing
- CRS 8.5 (4 events) — clutch response is a genuine strength; scored 8-9 in key moments including a goal and an assist
- Ghana U20 international — national team pathway
- 186cm height — good physical frame for a centre-forward
- 14 apps, 4 goals at Zorya Luhansk — proven goal scorer at a higher level in Ukraine
- Survived the war in Ukraine and rebuilt his career — resilience, even if not captured in metrics
⚠ Caution Signals
- SPI 4.0 (3 events, all duels lost, 2-3 scores) — THE CENTRAL CONCERN. For a 186cm forward, repeatedly losing aerial and physical duels is a structural weakness
- Only 1 goal in 23 appearances (25/26) — low output for a centre-forward
- 5 yellow cards in 23 appearances — discipline concern for a forward
- CHR 3.33 (6 events) — character concerns: 1-2 scores for lack of pressing, risky back passes
- DYN 2.0 (1 event) — very low sample, but the event was scored 2 for lack of movement
- OBI_S 2.0 (2 events) — poor space architecture; doesn't make ghost runs or unmark himself
- SOA 4.0 (3 events) — mixed: one 8-9 for a goal, but 2-3 for poor controls
- MCS 5.2 (11 events) — mixed mental profile: 8-9 positive moments but 2-4 for duels lost and simulation
✗ Critical Gaps — Tier 3 Required
- Only 3/16 T3 metrics confirmed — OBI (all sub-metrics), SII_T, SII_R, DMA, CHR, MCS, SOA, SPI, CLM, CRS, OMS, DYN, CRK all need more events or are pending
- SPI sample is small (3 events) — the duels weakness is consistent but needs more data to be conclusive
- No adversity or away-match video sample yet — see Matches tab for a register designed to avoid that gap from the start
- No SII_T or SII_R data — top speed and recovery sprints unknown
◆ Empire FGA Verdict (Provisional)
FGA 6.4 — RAW ATHLETICISM, BUT DUELS ARE A CONCERN. Raymond Owusu is a 24-year-old Ghanaian centre-forward with genuine acceleration (SII_A 7.92, 13 events) and a strong clutch response (CRS 8.5). But the SPI data is the story of this card: three events logged, all in the 2-3 range for aerial/physical duels lost. For a 186cm centre-forward, this is a structural weakness. The sample is small (3 events), but the pattern is consistent enough to flag. The 5 yellow cards in 23 appearances (T1) and CHR 3.33 (T3) add another layer of concern about discipline and character. The central question — is this a systemic issue or a genuine weakness? — cannot be fully answered with only 3 SPI events. More footage is required, but the early evidence is concerning.
Balance Check — All 5 Matches Assessed
✅ PASS — All conditions met:
≥2 matches vs top-third opposition (Admira Wacker, St. Pölten) ✅
≥1 away match (3 away matches) ✅
≥1 match where team was losing (St. Pölten loss) ✅
Minimum 5 matches registered (5 matches) ✅
Direct relevance to the scout question: SPI — physical duels. The three SPI events logged were all duels lost (2-3 scores). The away match against top-third opposition (St. Pölten) was where the weakness was most visible. More footage of duels against strong opposition would be valuable.