Fortuna du Mfou forward, Enow Nkembe
Accra Hearts of Oak are in advanced talks over a deal to sign 22-year-old Fortuna du Mfou forward Enow Nkembe ahead of next season.
Nkembe has quickly emerged in recent months as one of the brightest young talents in Cameroon and Hearts is working hard on tying up a deal as soon as possible, particularly in light of the lack of cutting edge in the team’s attack that affected the club all season.
Here are six key things you need to know about the player…
Instinctive Finisher
Nkembe has 13 goals in 22 appearances for Fortuna du Mfou this season, with each strike demonstrating his natural predatory instinct in the box.
Standing at 6’1, he has quite a burly demeanour, and the manner in which he peels away from defenders and consistently finds the bottom corner when given an inch of space is not dissimilar to Franck Etouga Mbella.
He’s a solid hold-up player and is excellent at bringing others into the game with neat lay-offs. Nkembe’s aerial threat and physical presence make him a tough forward to handle, and every centre-back is in for a long old afternoon when he’s backing into them.
Strong mentality and up for a challenge
Nkembe is a player who appears up for a challenge and will stand up to the be counted.
He won’t shy away from the kind of task that lies ahead at Hearts.
The Phobians are not only buying long-term potential but also a player for right now who will immediately improve them.
phobianews.com has reported that Nkembe feels ready to join them and that his arrival will give the squad fresh impetus.
Right-footed; plays off the left
Even though Nkembe has often lined up as a central striker this season, he still typically drifts over to the left flank in games.
That movement allows him to cut inside and shoot with his stronger right foot, a style made famous in the Premier League and around the world by a certain Thierry Henry, who was similarly tall and at 6 ft 2 tall.
He is not known for blistering pace but can also be deceptively quick for a player of his height and stature when the situation warrants it.
More than a goalscorer
It’s easy to search those stats from this season and see Nkembe as the typical outside forward who only hunts for goals, but there’s much more to his game.
A fine dribbler, Nkembe is dangerous when running at defenders, with superb close control making it difficult to get the ball off him. Combine that sharp dribbling with a killer final pass in key areas and you have Nkembe, which is why his stock is so high.
He’s already shown composure and the ability to pass through the lines, indicating he has a good footballing brain on him. Throw in a bit of physicality and it’s easy to see why he’s highly thought of.