Andre Ayew is a versatile Ghanaian professional footballer who plays for the Ghana national senior team, the Black Stars.
Ayew is primarily a forward, but he is versatile enough to play in multiple positions on the field. He is well loved in Ghana and is known for his technical abilities, including his dribbling and passing skills, as well as his exceptional work ethic and determination.
In addition to his impressive performances on the field, Ayew is also highly respected for his leadership abilities. He has served as the captain while at Marseille, Swansea City, and currently one for the Black Stars.
Get to know more about this player whose teammates have often praised his leadership style and positive attitude at every club he has played.
At the time of writing, Andre Ayew is without a club, but he last played for Nottingham Forest.
Andre Ayew biography
Andre Ayew is a known player in the world of football. He was born on 17 December 1989 in Seclin, France, to a Ghanaian father and a French mother.
Ayew grew up in a multicultural background and a family of footballers. His father, Abedi Pele, is a legendary Ghanaian footballer, which explains why Ayew was drawn to the sport from an early age.
Ayew began his professional career in 2007 with Marseille, one of the giant clubs in French football history. He quickly established himself as a talented and versatile player, capable of playing in a number of positions across the pitch. His skill, vision, and work rate made him a fan favourite, and he quickly became one of Marseille's most important players.
In 2015, Ayew made the move to Swansea City in the English Premier League, where he continued to impress. He played a key role in Swansea's successful bid to avoid relegation in the 2015-16 season, scoring crucial goals and providing assists in important matches. His performances earned him the club's Player of the Season award.
Ayew has also had success on the international stage, representing Ghana at the 2010 and 2014 World Cup tournaments. He has scored some crucial goals for his country in big matches, including a hat-trick against South Africa in a 2022 World Cup qualifier.
Andre Ayew family
Ayew was born in Seclin, a commune in the arrondissement of Lille, to Ghanaian parents. He holds both French and Ghanaian nationalities. His maternal grandfather Alhaji A.A. Khadir, is Lebanese.
Ayew comes from a family of footballers. His father, Abedi Pele, was a professional footballer and was playing for Lille at the time of his birth. He is the nephew of Kwame Ayew and Sola Ayew, both of whom are former international footballers.
Ayew also has two brothers who are professional footballers; Ibrahim Ayew and Jordan Ayew, and a sister, Imani.
Jordan currently plays for Crystal Palace and Ibrahim currently plays for Europa in Gibraltar.
Ayew is currently married to his long time girlfriend, Yvonne Ayew and they have a son.
Andre Ayew club career
Early career
Ayew began his career with 1860 München, where his father played. At the age of ten, Ayew was playing for Nania, where his father is club chairman, in Accra, Ghana.
After four years of plying his trade in the club's youth academy, he was promoted to the team's senior squad at the age of 14. Despite being on the senior team, he still participated in youth-sanctioned events, such as the 2004 edition of the Altstetten U-19 Tournament, in which he was named one of the tournament's most famous players.
Ayew played professional football at Nania for two seasons before departing the club and returning to France to play for his father's former club Marseille. Ayew joined the club on a trainee contract and, upon his arrival, was put into the club's youth system and placed onto Marseille's first professional contract, agreeing to a three-year deal.
He was officially promoted to the senior team and assigned the squad number 29 shirt.
Marseille
Ayew made his professional debut for Marseille on 15 August 2007 in a league match against Valenciennes, coming on as a substitute for Modeste M'bami in the 89th minute. Marseille lost the match 2-1.
On 6 November, he made his UEFA Champions League debut against Portuguese champions Porto at the Estádio do Dragão, playing on the left wing in place of Bolo Zenden. Ayew played 77 minutes before being substituted out as Marseille lost 2-1. Ayew earned praise from the media for his performance of containing Porto right back José Bosingwa.
Five days later, Ayew earned his first league start against Lyon at the Stade de Gerland. Ayew again featured in the team as Marseille pulled off a 2-1 victory. Ayew finished the season with 13 total appearances, nine in league play and two in cup play, in addition to two Champions League appearances.
Ayew's first season with the club drew the attention of Premier League club Arsenal, who reportedly offered Marseille €6 million for the player. Marseille, however, rejected the offer.
For the 2008/09 season, Ayew switched to the squad number 8 shirt, though due to the arrival of attackers Hatem Ben Arfa, Sylvain Wiltord, Bakari Koné and Mamadou Samassa, he was deemed surplus to requirements for the season and was loaned out to fellow first division club Lorient for the season.
After his loan spell at Lorient ended, Marseille again loaned him out to newly promoted Ligue 2 club Arles-Avignon for the 2009/10 season.
After a successful league campaign with Arles-Avignon, on 16 May 2010, Marseille manager Didier Deschamps confirmed that Ayew would be returning to the team and that he will be earning some significant playing time with the club for the 2010/11 season.
At the end of his stay in Marseille, Ayew has made a total of 160 appearances and netted 44 goals before leaving for free in 2015.
Swansea
On 10 June 2015, EPL side Swansea City announced that Ayew had joined the club on a free transfer, signing a four-year contract with the Swans pending Premier League and international clearance.
Ayew scored his first goal for the club on his debut against Chelsea on 8 August 2015 in a 2–2 draw. On 15 August 2015, Ayew scored his second goal in his second game for Swansea in their 2-0 victory against Newcastle United.
He continued his form in the next league fixture against Manchester United, where he scored and created an assist. Ayew was named Premier League Player of the Month for August 2015 and also received Swansea's monthly award the GWFX Player of the Month for August after making an immediate impact, scoring three goals in his first four league appearances.
Ayew left the Swans in August 2016 but after two seasons be returned on 31 January 2018, as he completed a deadline day switch back to former club Swansea City for a reported £18 million rising to £20 million with add-ons until the end of the 2020/21 season.
In all, Ayew made 133 appearances across the two spells he had with the Swans, he scored 43 goals for the club.
West Ham
On 8 August 2016, Ayew signed for West Ham United for a then club record fee of £20.5 million on a three-year contract, with the option of an extra two years. Ayew's debut game for West Ham, on 15 August 2016, against Chelsea, lasted 35 minutes before he was substituted after sustaining a thigh injury. He returned to first team action on 26 October 2016 in a 2-1 home win against Chelsea in the EFL Cup.
On 26 December 2016 Ayew scored his first West Ham goal. Playing away at his former club, Swansea City, Ayew scored the first goal in a 4-1 West Ham win. Ayew left West Ham in January 2018 having scored 12 goals in 50 games in all competitions.
Al Sadd
On 21 July 2021, Qatar Stars League club Al Sadd SC announced that they had reached an agreement to sign Ayew on a free transfer.
He was expected to arrive in Doha the following morning to complete the routine procedures, followed by the signing of the contract and the official announcement.
On 22 July, the club announced his transfer and unveiled him after he had signed a two-year contract with an option for an additional year. He was reportedly set to earn around $220,000 a month.
He joined the club 39 years after his father Abedi Pele also signed and played for them in 1983.
On leaving Al Sadd in 2023, Ayew has played a total of 39 games and scored 21 goals for the club and has won the league there as well.
Nottingham Forest
On 2 February 2023, following his release from Al Sadd, Ayew joined Premier League side Nottingham Forest on a contract until the end of the season.
On 26 April, Ayew came on as a late substitute in the 3-1 victory over Brighton to make his 100th Premier League appearance.
Ayew was released by Forest at the end of the 2022/23 season with 13 appearances and no goals for the club.
Andre Ayew international career
As a result of Ayew's dual French and Ghanaian citizenship, he was eligible for France and Ghana. He initially chose to represent France and he did so at the U-18 level.
He later switched over to Ghana and represented the country at U-20 level and captained the team to victory at both the 2009 African Youth Championship and the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Black Stars debut
On 7 August 2007, Ayew was called up for the first time by Ghana coach Claude Le Roy for the team's friendly match against Senegal on 21 August. He made his international debut in the match, appearing as a late-match substitute.
On 11 January 2008, Ayew was named in the Ghana squad to play in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ayew made his second major international tournament appearance by appearing at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations. On 19 January 2010, in the team's final group stage match against Burkina Faso, he scored his first international goal in the 30th minute with a header. Ghana won the match 1-0 and reached the final where they were defeated 1-0 by Egypt.
Since then, Ayew has played in three FIFA World Cup tournaments for Ghana and has scored goals in the competition with his recent participation being the 2022 event.
In Ghana's first game of the group stage, Ayew scored his side's first goal of the competition, equalizing in the 73rd minute to bring the score to 1-1 during the course of an eventual 3-2 defeat against Portugal.
Following a 3-2 victory over South Korea, Ghana required a win or draw in their final group match against Uruguay to advance, and were awarded an early penalty, taken by Ayew. However, Ayew would see his attempt saved, and Uruguay went on to score twice in the first half.
At half-time, Ayew and his brother Jordan were both substituted, but the scoreline finished unchanged at 2-0, to send Ghana home in fourth place in their group.
Ayew is currently the captain of the Black Stars, he has made 114 senior appearances for Ghana and has scored 24 goals to put him in the list of Ghana all-time top goal scorers.
In September 2023, Ayew will captain Ghana in their last qualifying match of the AFCON event in 2024 against Central African Republic. He will be looking to appear in four AFCON tournaments for Ghana and to also extend his AFCON goal record for Ghana.
Andre Ayew achievements
At Marseille
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2010/11, 2011/12
- Trophée des Champions: 2010, 2011
At Al Sadd
- Qatar Stars League: 2021/22
- Emir of Qatar Cup: 2021
Ghana U-20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2009
- African Youth Championship: 2009
Ghana
- Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2010, 2015; third place: 2008
Individual achievements
- BBC African Footballer of the Year: 2011
- Prix Marc-Vivien Foé: 2015
- CAF Team of the Year: 2010, 2011, 2015
- Africa Cup of Nations Top Scorer: 2015
- Africa Cup of Nations Team of the Tournament: 2015
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 2015
- IFFHS CAF Men's Team of the Decade 2011/20
- Calcio Trade Ball Order of the Star Award: 2022
- Ghana Player of the Year: 2011
- Ghana Football Awards Footballer of the Year: 2021
- Olympique de Marseille Player of the Season: 2011
- Swansea City Players' Player of the Year: 2019/20
- Swansea City Supporters' Player of the Year: 2019/20
- Swansea City Best Newcomer of the Year: 2015/16
Andre Ayew salary
Andre Ayew has been taking home £51,229 at his previous working station in Qatar. Currently, we do not know the amount of money he earned while at Forest before his six months spell ended last season.
Andre Ayew net worth
Sources say that the famous Ghanaian footballer Andre Ayew has a net worth of US $15 million. He's one of the richest footballers in Africa who makes much of his money from playing football.
Andre Ayew wife
Ghana's all time top scorer in the AFCON is married to Yvonne Ayew. Yvonne was discovered as the wife of Ayew by a social media user in 2021, and since then she has remained exclusive on Instagram. According to xorlali.com, Yvonne Ayew has a net worth of US $5 million.
Andre Ayew daughter
Andre and Yvonne Ayew have two beautiful daughters named Inaya and Maha Ayew.
This article was most recently revised and updated 1 year ago
