Baba Rahman

Germany

However, Baba eventually signed with newly promoted Greuther Fürth in the Bundesliga on 12 June 2012. Baba stated that his decision to join Fürth was because the club offered, "the best conditions to further develop my career." In the derby against 1. FC Nürnberg on 11 August 2014 he scored his first two goals for Fürth in a 5–1 home victory. The next day he signed with FC Augsburg of the same division.

In Baba's 2014–15 season with Augsburg, he made 108 tackles, more than any other player in the Bundesliga that season. Using aspects of his strength and pace, he was able to win 90 of those tackles, coming out to an 83% successful tackle rate. That season, Baba also had 83 interceptions and won 80 contested aerial balls.

Chelsea 2015–16 season

On 16 August 2015, Baba signed for Chelsea on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, reported to be an initial £14 million, rising to a potential fee of almost £22 million. He made his debut on 16 September in a UEFA Champions League tie, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4–0 win at home to Maccabi Tel Aviv. He made his Premier League debut in a 2–0 win over Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on 17 October. He played at left-back in games including their 2–1 Champions League win over Dynamo Kyiv.

On 27 February, Baba made an error which allowed Southampton's Shane Long to score in the 42nd minute; he was substituted for Kenedy at half time but Chelsea eventually won 2–1 at St. Mary's.

Schalke 04 (loan)

On 2 August 2016, FC Schalke 04, confirmed that Baba had moved on a season-long loan to the club after failing to impress the new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte during pre-season. Baba was given the number 14 jersey for the upcoming season. He was signed by his former Augsburg manager, Markus Weinzierl. Baba told the local newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten that Conte advised him to leave on loan because he preferred more defensive players than him.

Baba made his competitive debut for the Gelsenkirchen team on 20 August, as a winger instead of a defender in a 4–1 victory against FC 08 Villingen in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. He made his league debut on 27 August, coming on for Sead Kolašinac in the 62nd minute of an eventual 1–0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on the first day of the season. Baba scored his first goal for Schalke on 15 September, the game's only in a Europa League victory at OGC Nice.

In January 2018, Baba joined Schalke 04 on loan for a second time agreeing an 18-month stay until summer 2019.

Reims (loan) In January 2019, he returned early to Chelsea and was immediately loaned to Stade de Reims until the end of the season.

Mallorca (loan) On 2 September 2019, the last day of transfer window, Baba was again loaned out in a season-long deal, this time to newly promoted La Liga side Mallorca.

PAOK (loan) On 30 January 2021, Baba was loaned out to PAOK for the remainder of the 2020–21 season.

Reading (loan) On 27 August 2021, Baba joined Reading on loan. He made his debut for the club against Queens Park Rangers on 10 September. On 31 August 2022, Baba rejoined Reading on another season-long-loan.

PAOK On 10 July 2023, Baba left Chelsea after eight years and seven loan duties at other clubs. He signed a two-year contract with a one-year extension option to Super League Greece club PAOK. On 6 August 2024, Baba scored for PAOK on the 75th minute to clinch a 2–2 draw against Malmö in the UEFA Champions League qualifying round.

International career Rahman received his first call-up to the Ghana senior national team in March 2013, when coach Kwesi Appiah named him in the Black Stars squad for a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Sudan.

Baba played every minute of Ghana's campaign at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea, providing the cross from which André Ayew headed in the winner against South Africa to win Group C. In the final against the Ivory Coast, Baba scored in the penalty shootout in which his team lost 9–8.

Baba was selected for Ghana's final squad at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and provided an assist during his side's opening match against Portugal; he produced the cross which was headed into goal by Osman Bukari.

On 2 June 2026, Baba was named in head coach Carlos Queiroz's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life Abdul Rahman Baba has "Baba" on the back of his jersey for his Chelsea-supporting father. In May 2016, Baba married his longtime childhood girlfriend, Salma, in their hometown of Tamale in northern Ghana. Baba started doing philanthropic work in his hometown, Tamale whilst playing in Europe. In 2021, he donated football materials and equipment to his former school and to the Tamale Juvenile Unit to help upcoming sportsmen within the northern part of Ghana. +Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals

2012–13 Bundesliga

2013–14 2. Bundesliga

2014–15 2. Bundesliga

2014–15 Bundesliga

2015–16 Bundesliga

2015–16 Premier League

2017–18 Premier League

2018–19 Premier League

2019–20 Premier League

2020–21 Premier League

2021–22 Premier League

2022–23 Premier League

15!!0!!2!!0!!2!!0!!4!!0!!0!!0!!23!!0 Schalke 04 (loan) 2016–17

Scores and results list Ghana's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Baba goal.

Honours Asante Kotoko Ghana Premier League: 2011–12 Greek Cup: 2020–21

Ghana Africa Cup of Nations runner-up: 2015

Individual Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2023–24