André Ayew, also known as Dede, is a Ghanaian forward and former Black Stars captain. His career includes Marseille, Swansea City, West Ham United and clubs in Turkey, Qatar and the Netherlands. Among his major international achievements, he captained Ghana’s team to the 2009 FIFA Under-20 World Cup title and played in the senior side’s 2010 World Cup quarter-final campaign.
Quick profile
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | André Ayew; commonly called Dede |
| Date of birth | 17 December 1989 |
| Age at this review | 36 on 2 November 2026 |
| Birth country | France |
| International team | Ghana |
| Position | Forward; also used in wide and supporting attacking roles |
| Most recent verified club spell | NAC Breda, during the 2025–26 season; its extension option was not exercised |
The birth details are recorded in his Sky Sports player profile. Club and international information is dated below.
Family and early football
Ayew is the son of former Ghana and Marseille player Abedi Pelé. His brothers Jordan and Ibrahim also became professional footballers. He played for Nania in Accra before joining Marseille’s academy, according to Swansea City’s 2015 profile.
His senior Marseille debut came against Valenciennes in August 2007. Loans at Lorient and Arles-Avignon followed before he returned to Marseille in 2010 and established himself in the first team. His attacking roles have included playing on the wing, centrally and behind a striker.
Club career timeline
| Stage | Career record |
|---|---|
| Marseille and French loans | Senior debut in 2007; loans at Lorient and Arles-Avignon; returned to Marseille in 2010 |
| Swansea and West Ham | Joined Swansea in 2015, moved to West Ham in 2016 and returned to Swansea in 2018 |
| Turkey and Qatar | Played for Fenerbahçe and Al Sadd before his return to the Premier League |
| Nottingham Forest | Joined on 2 February 2023 on a deal for the remainder of that season |
| Le Havre | Returned to French football; NAC’s later announcement records his last competitive matches there in May 2025 |
| NAC Breda | Signing announced on 31 December 2025 for the rest of 2025–26; the club declined its extension option on 15 May 2026 |
Swansea’s past-player record documents his English transfers. The Premier League’s Forest announcement confirms that he arrived after leaving Al Sadd. NAC’s signing announcement records the later move from his Le Havre spell.
Ghana career and tournament achievements
Ayew made his senior Ghana debut in 2007. In 2009 he captained the Black Satellites to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup title, a role documented in FIFA’s retrospective on the winning teams.
He appeared at the senior World Cups in 2010, 2014 and 2022. Ghana reached the quarter-finals in 2010, while he scored against both the United States and Germany at the 2014 tournament. He also helped Ghana reach the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2010 and 2015.
After André’s period as Black Stars captain, the Ghana Football Association’s 2026 World Cup communication identified Jordan Ayew as the squad’s captain.
Individual recognition
Ayew won the 2011 BBC African Footballer of the Year award, as recorded in Swansea’s August 2015 interview. Swansea’s club history also records his Premier League Player of the Month award for August 2015. These are distinct awards from different organisations.
Club status after NAC Breda
On 15 May 2026, NAC confirmed that it would not exercise Ayew’s option for another season, leaving his agreement running only to the end of 2025–26.
MyJoyOnline reported on 3 September that he was a free agent. On 19 October, SportsWorldGhana reported that he was considering discussions with clubs. No subsequent completed transfer was confirmed in the sources reviewed for this update.
Editorial review: 2 November 2026. Historical achievements and transfer announcements are distinguished from dated reports about his next club.
Sources
- Sky Sports: André Ayew player details and transfer history.
- Swansea City: signing profile, 10 June 2015.
- Swansea City: past players, André Ayew entry.
- Swansea City: André Ayew interview, 15 August 2015.
- Premier League: Forest signing, 2 February 2023.
- FIFA: retrospective documenting Ghana’s 2009 Under-20 title.
- Ghana Football Association: 2026 World Cup captain and squad numbers.
- NAC Breda: signing announcement, 31 December 2025.
- NAC Breda: extension option not exercised, 15 May 2026.
- MyJoyOnline: free-agent report, 3 September 2026.
- SportsWorldGhana: next-club discussions, 19 October 2026.
