A way out for 'prodigy' Moukoko

After the controversies surrounding her age, Copenhagen presents Moukoko with an opportunity to prove her worth.

Bild revealed that the young striker, once considered a "prodigy" of German football, has officially passed his medical examination in Copenhagen, marking a turning point in his career as he leaves Borussia Dortmund.

The Danish club reached an agreement to permanently acquire Moukoko from Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of €5 million, plus €2 million in performance-based bonuses. Moukoko is expected to sign a five-year contract with Copenhagen, with a salary of approximately €1 million per year, which could increase to €1.75 million through bonuses.

This is a significantly lower salary compared to the €8.5 million per year he received at Dortmund. This transfer marks the end of Moukoko's nine-year journey at Dortmund, where he joined the youth academy from FC St. Pauli in 2016.

Moukoko, born on November 20, 2004, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, was once considered one of the brightest young talents in German football. He set a record as the youngest player to appear in the Bundesliga (16 years and 1 day old) in Dortmund's 5-2 victory over Hertha Berlin in November 2020, breaking the previous record held by Nuri Şahin.

Just 27 days later, Moukoko scored against Union Berlin, becoming the youngest player to score in Bundesliga history at the age of 16 years and 28 days. He is also the youngest player to appear in the UEFA Champions League (16 years and 18 days) and the 2022 World Cup (18 years and 3 days).

However, since then, Moukoko has been unable to compete for a starting position against other Dortmund stars. Late last year, Moukoko was accused of age fraud and even claiming a non-biological father to deceive the German football scouting team.

Bild , citing an investigative report by ProSieben, stated that the problem of age fraud in Germany's youth training system is a serious concern. The case of young talent Youssoufa Moukoko is a prime example.

On paper, Youssoufa Moukoko was born on November 20, 2004, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, with Joseph Moukoko as his father. However, Bild quoted Joseph Moukoko as saying: "He (Youssoufa Moukoko) is not my biological son, nor is he my wife's son. He was not born on November 20, 2004, in Yaoundé, Cameroon, but on July 19, 2000. He was registered at birth four years younger than his actual age."

The revelation subsequently rocked German football, as it would seriously affect the transparency of the country's scouting and youth development system. Moukoko himself suffered significant psychological trauma after the incident. Moukoko's move to FC Copenhagen, a team in the Danish Superliga, was a step to salvage his career.