Ghanaian forward Ibrahim Mustapha has revealed that injury setbacks hindered his progress at Austrian club LASK, prompting his decision to return to Serbia with FK Vojvodina.
The 25-year-old striker has signed a three-year contract with the Serbian outfit after spending the last three seasons in Austria. Currently valued at โฌ400,000 on Transfermarkt, Mustapha brings significant experience in Serbian football, having previously featured for Red Star Belgrade and FK Novi Pazar.
However, his time in Austria didnโt go as planned.
โI spent two and a half years at LASK, but the last one and a half years were very difficult for me,โ Mustapha told Footy-Africa in an exclusive interview. โI struggled with injuries and found it hard to stay fit. I usually donโt get injured, so I didnโt know what the problem was at LASK. Thatโs why I wanted to try somewhere else again.โ
Mustapha said he had multiple offers, but opted for a return to Serbia due to his familiarity with the league and its playing style.
โI had different offers, but I chose Serbia because Iโve played here before and I understand the league well,โ he explained. What I like about Serbia is that they play direct football, which suits my style. And they really have faith in people of colour, too.โ
The Ghanaian forward also stressed that team success means more to him than personal accolades.
โMy goal is to give the team my best. Iโm not someone who focuses on individual performance โ I just want to help the team in every way I can.โ
Born in Tamale, Ghana, Mustapha began his European career during the 2019/20 season after moving from local side EurAfrica.