‘I call him the modern N’Golo Kante’ - Thomas-Asante on Caleb Yirenkyi’s persona

Coventry City forward Brandon Thomas-Asante has lavished praise on Ghanaian midfielder Caleb Yirenkyi, drawing comparisons to the French international N’Golo Kante. Thomas-Asante emphasizes Yirenkyi’s quiet demeanor off the pitch, juxtaposing it with the self-assurance he projects while playing football. In his own words, “I call him the modern N’Golo Kante.

He’s so quiet and keeps himself to himself. However, he is a really confident character. He is quietly confident.” Thomas-Asante’s remarks reflect Yirenkyi’s rising stature among his teammates since his record £23.1m move from Danish side FC Nordsjaelland earlier this year. Despite his reclusive off-field persona, the young midfielder is projecting a robust personality and self-belief.

Thomas-Asante’s comparison to Kante underscores the qualities he admires in Yirenkyi’s game, particularly his energy, composure and ability to control matches from midfield and, on occasions, as a full-back. Under head coach Frank Lampard, the Ghanaian youngster is further honing his skills, a process that Lampard has already recognized as a harbinger of Yirenkyi's great potential.

In a recent League Cup game against Plymouth, Yirenkyi orchestrated a clever move that led to Coventry’s opening goal. Thomas-Asante, who earlier set up Yirenkyi’s winning goal for Ghana during their 4-2 victory over Panama at the 2026 World Cup, predicts the 20-year-old will attract substantial interest. The move from Denmark ultimately made Yirenkyi the most expensive signing in Coventry City’s history.