| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Salou Ibrahim | ||
| Date of birth | May 29, 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Kumasi, Ghana | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Playing position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1998 | King Faisal Babes | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1998–1999 | Wandsbek 81 | ||
| 2000–2004 | Turnhout | 50 | (29) |
| 2004–2005 | Kortrijk | 28 | (10) |
| 2005–2006 | Zulte Waregem | 29 | (9) |
| 2006–2008 | Club Brugge | 46 | (5) |
| 2008–2009 | MSV Duisburg | 6 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Vejle | 18 | (3) |
| 2010–2011 | New York Red Bulls | 19 | (3) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 22, 2010. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Salou Ibrahim (also sometimes known as Ibrahim Salou) (born May 29, 1979 in Kumasi) is a Ghanaian footballer who is currently without a club.
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Salou started to play for King Faisal Babes, a Ghanaian football club based in the Ashanti city of Kumasi. After two seasons, he was signed by German club TuS Wandsbek 81.
In 2000 he signed for FC Turnhout in Belgium, where he stayed for four seasons. During the 2003-04 season Salou scored 16 goals in 26 appearances for FC Turnhout and began to draw attention from higher level clubs.
In 2004 he signed for KV Kortrijk, that started his first season in the Belgian Second Division. After one season he went to S.V. Zulte-Waregem in the Belgian First Division and scored 9 goals in 29 league appearances (14 goals in all competitions),[1] helping his side capture the 2006 Belgian Cup.
As a result of his play with Zulte-Waregem, Salou received offers from the top two sides in Belgian football RSC Anderlecht and Club Brugge as well as other European sides including AEK Athens and RC Lens. He decided on Club Brugge and joined the club in 2006.[2] On November 2, 2006 Salou scored his clubs lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Premier League club Tottenham in a UEFA Cup match played at White Hart Lane.[3] In two seasons with the club Salou appeared in 46 Belgian First Division matches scoring five goals.[4] He also helped the club capture the 2007 Belgian Cup. There he also stayed for two seasons before returning to Germany.
In 2008 he moved to MSV Duisburg.[5] Prior to joining Duisburg, Salou was close to signing with FC Rapid Bucureşti.[6] On August 8, 2010 Salou scored eleven minutes into his debut with MSV Duisberg in a German Cup match against ASV Bergedorf that ended in a 5-1 victory.[7]
After only 6 months in Duisburg Salou signed with Vejle Boldklub. On March 1, 2009 Salou scored his first goal in the Danish Superliga in a 1-1 draw with AGF Aarhus. During his time at the club Salou appeared in 20 official matches and scored 4 goals.
Ibrahim Salou went on trial for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer during March 2010.[8] On 20 March 2010, Salou started and played 67 minutes for Red Bulls in a 3-1 victory against Santos FC, which was the first match played at the new Red Bull Arena.[9] After impressing during his trial spell Salou was signed on March 23, 2010 by New York Red Bulls. On April 24, 2010 Salou scored his first league goal for New York in a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia Union.[10] On October 21, 2010 Salou started and played a full 90 for Red Bulls in a 2-0 victory over New England Revolution helping his side clinch the regular season Eastern Conference title. [11]
Salou began the 2011 season with New York but was waived on March 21, 2011, two days after the club's first match of the season.[12]
Salou was born in Ghana, but received his Belgian nationality in 2005. Following a successful campaign with S.V. Zulte-Waregem during the 2005-06 season Salou started to garner interest from the Belgium national football team.[13] After deciding to represent his native country, in 2006 Salou was called up for Ghana but decided not to join the national side due to a dispute involving obtaining his visa.[14] Coach Claude Le Roy made efforts to persuade him to join the Black Stars, but Salou declined.[15]