Native of Hamburg
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Ernest Poku is a fixture in the Netherlands U21s. With 15 international matches in this year group, the professional from Bayer Leverkusen has the most of any current nominee in the Orange squad. The 21-year-old has been playing for the Netherlands since the U16 level and is only one step away from the senior national team – but he could still change his mind. As a native of Hamburg, Poku would also be eligible to play for the DFB and he is keeping this option open.
“That would be entirely possible, but at the moment I’m just concentrating on Oranje,” Poku is quoted by “Voetbalzone“quoted. “What happens, happens,” he said about his future at national team level. There is said to have never been any contact with the DFB. Just like the Ghanaian association, which he could also join because his parents come from the West African country.
The right winger was born in Hamburg in 2004 and moved to the Dutch capital Amsterdam when he was six. He stayed there for nine years until he moved to AZ’s youth team in 2019 as a 15-year-old. He turned professional there in 2023. In the last summer transfer window, Poku moved from AZ to Bayer Leverkusen for 10 million euros, where he has made eight appearances so far and contributed two goals and one assist.
He scored his first goal for the Werkself on matchday 5 in a 2-1 win at St. Pauli – in his hometown of all places. “It was definitely nice to score my first goal and the fact that it was in Hamburg is great. It was a coincidence, but it was even nicer,” said Poku, who will be upgraded in the Bundesliga update on October 14th. Its market value is still 4 million euros, the TM community would increase it to 12 million euros.
“I have a lot of confidence in myself,” he said, referring to his chances of being invited to the senior national team. Mind you, the Dutch one. About a possible World Cup participation next year in the USA, Canada and Mexico, he said: “I’m not actually concerned with it, but it would be nice to be there. I work hard every day and do my best at Leverkusen and Jong Oranje. If I ultimately make it, that would be very nice.”