Ghana defender Rufai Mohammed joins Venezia on loan from IF Elfsborg

Ghana defender Rufai Mohammed has completed a move to Serie A side Venezia FC on a loan deal from Swedish top-flight club IF Elfsborg until the end of the current European football season.

The agreement reportedly includes a strategic buy option, allowing Venezia to permanently secure the 20-year-old’s services if he meets specific performance metrics.

Mohammed, who stands at a formidable 1.98 metres tall, only recently signed a long-term contract extension with Elfsborg keeping him tied to Sweden until December 2029.

However, the allure of playing in Italy’s prestigious top division accelerated negotiations between the two teams, leading to a swift agreement on deadline day.

The move marks an extraordinary career leap for the former Ghana Under-17 international, who originally migrated from Accra-based academy Inter Allies FC to Scandinavia in early 2024.

Having built a strong reputation as an elite aerial presence and a highly disciplined ball-playing defender, Mohammed’s technical profile perfectly matches Venezia’s tactical requirements.

His recent top-flight campaigns in the Swedish Allsvenskan, which included a highly impressive development loan spell at IFK Värnamo, prepared him for this elite opportunity.

He now joins a Venezia squad battling fiercely for defensive stability in Serie A, where his physical dominance will be heavily tested by world-class attackers.