Raymond Tchayé steps up recruitment drive as Benin U20s prepare for key qualifiers

With just one month remaining before the start of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, Benin’s youth national team has stepped up its preparations, with head coach Raymond Tchayé widening his search for talent across Europe.

The Benin U20 technical staff are working on multiple fronts as they seek to assemble a competitive squad for the upcoming qualifiers.

While several players from the domestic championship remain central to the team’s plans, the coaching team is also exploring opportunities to add young dual-nationality players capable of strengthening the squad.

As part of this recruitment strategy, Tchayé has continued an extensive scouting programme supported by the Beninese Football Federation and the Ministry of Sports.

After recently conducting a scouting mission in France, the coach travelled to Germany over the weekend to assess a number of promising young prospects.

During the visit, Beninese recruiters closely monitored three players currently developing in German youth football.

Among them was Lukas Karim Leidemann, a right-sided defender born in 2007 who has progressed through the U19 ranks of Hannover 96.

The coaching staff also observed Hamzath Mohamadou, a talented left winger born in 2011 who is already featuring between the U17 and U19 teams of Borussia Dortmund despite his young age.

Another player attracting attention was Akram-Dine Mohamadou, a striker born in 2006 who has continued his development with the U23 side of Eintracht Braunschweig.

His performances have placed him among the players being considered as Benin seeks additional attacking options ahead of the qualifiers.

The recruitment process is ongoing, with the management team continuing to identify potential additions to the squad. Two more Germany-based youngsters are currently being tracked closely by the coaching staff.

These include Yannis Ahouannou, a left-back born in 2008 who plays for Eintracht Frankfurt’s U19 side, and Dilane Yarsekou, a left winger of the same generation who represents RB Leipzig at U19 level.

While scouting efforts continue abroad, preparations on the pitch are also gathering pace. The coaching staff are expected to unveil an expanded preliminary squad of approximately 40 players in the coming days.

The larger group will allow the technical team to begin preparations for the qualifiers while gradually integrating new faces identified during the recruitment campaign.

With the countdown to the U20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers now well underway, Benin’s coaching staff are working to ensure every available talent is assessed before final selections are made.