Ibrahim Atiku

Atiku was a member of a Ghana U17 squad that also featured Michael Essien, and after their performances at the 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship, they went on trial with English club Manchester United in April 2000. Both players were offered contracts by the club, but they were unable to obtain work permits, and the move fell through. Atiku ended up joining Liberty Professionals in 2000, and in 2001 he made his first transfer away from Ghana as he was taken on loan by Israeli club Hapoel Petah Tikva. until the end of that season and played one game in the UEFA Intertoto Cup with Hakoah Amidar Ramat Gan. His loan ended and returned to Liberty, but his performances had already attracted Swedish club Västerås which signed him in 2003. His next move was to Friska Viljor in 2005, and later played with Assyriska for first time in his career to Allsvenskan League, where he had two full seasons with 48 caps and was considered a key-member of the squad. In April 2007, Atiku decided to separate parts and signed a six-month loan deal with rivals Assyriska at Superettan club IF Sylvia. It was reported that Botev Plovdiv were interested in signing him and that Cypriot club APEP had offered him a three-year deal contract that he refused in order to take a chance with Scottish Premier League side Inverness Caledonian Thistle. However, this move fell through and finally on 7 January 2009, Atiku joined Vasalund on a two-year contract. Searching for a way to leave Sweden after many years of…

In 1999, Atiku represented the Ghana under-17 team at 1999 FIFA U-17 World Championship in New Zealand and later was part of the Ghana under-20 side at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina. In 2010, Atiku participated in training with the Ghana senior team but eventually was not invited to play any official games. He was later called up to the squad to play Nigeria in August 2011, but the match was called off due to the rioting in England.

Atiku has held a Swedish passport since 13 May 2009.