After playing a key role in Hellas Verona surviving relegation and staying in the Serie A last season, Ibrahim Sulemana said his goodbye to the club this summer to accept a new challenge.

Last month, the 20-year-old joined promoted side Cagliari in a four-year deal, a move which was brokered by talent management agency Arthur Legacy Sports. The defensive midfielder had been on the radar of Torino, Bologna and Salernitana before opting to join the Italian manager.

Apparently, Ranieri was one of the reasons behind Sulemana's decision to join Cagliari and the Ghanaian says he can't wait to improve under the Italian.

"I am a player who always loves to learn and improve my potential," he told Joy Sports' Lawrence Baidoo in an interview.

"It's a privilege to work under one of the best Italian coaches in the world and I appreciate it a lot."

The Italian manager dug deep and found himself a home at Cagliari, guiding them to promotion to the Serie A once again.

The 71-year-old rejoined Cagliari after 32 years, replacing Fabio Liverani on January 1, but his predecessor left him with a lot to do to bring the Islanders back to Italy’s top flight.

They were 14th in the standings when the former Premier League winner with Leicester City arrived in January. Ranieri pulled a rabbit out of the hat again and ensured the team's promotion to the Serie A after only a season in the second division.

So where did it all start for Sulemana?

Little over four years ago, Ghanaian midfielder Ibrahim Sulemana was enjoying his football in Sunyani, a city in Ghana, and had dreams of making it from there to the European scene in some years to come.

His prayers were loud enough and had the opportunity sooner than he expected as Italian side Atalanta came calling, a deal which was brokered by talent management agency Arthur Legacy Sports, who have offered immense support to the player so far in his career.

Sulemena started with Atalanta's youth team in Italy but an injury took him away from the scene at the Orobic Club. Hellas Verona stepped forward to secure his services in August 2021 but the youngster needed to continue his development with the club's junior team, a decision he was excited about.

He made his first appearance for Verona's U-19 side against Atalanta on January 29, 2022, going to feature a further 17 times for the Primavera side, scoring one goal and registering three assists in the process.

His maiden goal for the junior side came in the clash with Sampdoria's U-19s in April 2022, beating the goalkeeper in the 18-yard box after starting an attack.

First-team presentation

After a successful stint with the U-19s, there was the need to integrate Sulemana into the senior team for the new season, 2022/23.

Verona manager Gabriele Cioffi was impressed with the youngster and gave him an opportunity but it was going to take a long time before he nailed a spot. The manager called upon the youngster two months into the new season.

He made his first-team debut in the 2-1 defeat to Salernita in October 2022, coming off in the 71st minute of the game. His maiden appearance was encouraging though he was unused in the next game.

Against Juventus a month after his debut, Sulemana was handed a starting berth but under a different manager -- Salvatore Bocchetti had come in and seen glimpses of the talented midfielder.

Sulemana became a regular feature in Bocchetti's team for the rest of the campaign, especially after the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

In all the Ghanaian made 17 appearances in the Serie A, starting seven games, including playing the entire duration of the relegation decider against Spezia which saw Verona avoid the drop to Serie B.

He promised victory and stay in the Serie A and that was the result as they earned a 3-1 victory over Spezia, cementing their position for another season.

A new season and new colours

On July 1, Sulemana and his entourage accepted a new challenge. The 20-year-old was announced as a new addition to the Cagliari team.

The midfielder signed a long-term deal which will keep him at the club until June 2027 after impressing in his first season in the Italian top flight. Sulemana was leaving Verona; his first true home in Italy.

A change of environment is one that normally worries a lot of players but the player says he is already loving life in his new team and home.

"[My adaptation in the new environment has been] very quick because I am someone who adapts quickly wherever I myself. Also, the way the coaches and my teammates welcomed me, I feel happy. I feel at home and I am happy to be here," he told Joy Sports in an exclusive interview.

You can only agree with Sulemana when he says he 'feels at home' because the player has enjoyed a good pre-season with the club and seem to be getting along very well with his people around.

He featured in all of the club's pre-season games and has been involved in everything during the pre-season due to both parties finishing the deal early.

The central defensive midfielder talked about his preparation ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

"[Pre-season] went very well. Amazing training facilities and nothing less to speak about. It was tough but I gave my best and had the chance to start in all the friendlies," he continued.

"I am hoping to have a good season with Cagliari."

Sulemana already passed the first hurdle as his side sealed a place in the next round of the Coppa Italia after Cagliari beat Palermo 2-1 on extra time in the first round.

The 20-year-old played the entire duration of the game which also happened to be his official debut for the club after the summer move.

The challenge under a new face

After the completion of pre-season and featuring the cup game, next up for Sulemana is the Serie A. The youngster is already familiar with the terrain as he played almost half of the last season's games with Verona.

However, he is slotting into a new team and he will play in the league with a team that is only making a return to the top flight.

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Players do have targets ahead of a new season and the story is no different for Sulemana but this time, he has prioritised the objectives of the team to his.

"The most important thing for me now is the objectives of the team," he noted.

"I give everything to contribute to the target of the team so that we can put the team to the place it belongs. Our target is to save ourselves [from relegation] and remain in the Serie A for the next season."

Sulemana, though played in his first game of the season, the midfielder cannot wait for a return to Serie A action.

He is set to be in action for the club when they travel to Turin to face Torino in their first league game of the season.