Derrick Mensah

{{About|Ghanaian footballer born in 1995|Ghanaian footballer born in 2003|Derrick Mensah (footballer, born 2003)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Derrick Mensah

| image =

| fullname = Derrick Ediyaa Mensah

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|05|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Ghana

| height = {{height|m=1.75}}

| currentclub = Dolný Kubín

| clubnumber = 11

| position = Midfielder

| years1 = 2012–2013

| clubs1 = Tema Youth

| caps1 =

| goals1 =

| years2 = 2013–2014

| clubs2 = Club Africain

| caps2 =

| goals2 =

| years3 = 2014–2016

| clubs3 = Baník Ostrava

| caps3 = 24

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2016–2017

| clubs4 = Haugesund

| caps4 = 4

| goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2016

| clubs5 = → Karviná (loan)

| caps5 = 1

| goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2017–2018

| clubs6 = Aluminij

| caps6 = 22

| goals6 = 1

| years7 = 2018

| clubs7 = Dunav Ruse

| caps7 = 3

| goals7 = 0

| years8 = 2019

| clubs8 = Znojmo

| caps8 = 1

| goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2019

| clubs9 = AC Kajaani

| caps9 = 10

| goals9 = 0

| years10= 2023–2024

| clubs10= Dinamo Samarqand

| caps10= 14

| goals10= 1

| years11= 2024–

| clubs11= Dolný Kubín

| caps11= 6

| goals11= 0

| nationalyears1 = 2013

| nationalteam1 = Ghana U20

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 22 June 2024

| nationalteam-update =

}}

Derrick Mensah (born 28 May 1995) is a Ghanaian professional football player who plays as a defensive midfielder for Slovak side Dolný Kubín.{{Soccerway|derrick-mensah/331962}}

Mensah started his professional career with Tema Youth before moving to Club Africain in 2013. Following a contract squabble which led to him leaving the club as a free agent, he joined FC Baník Ostrava in 2014.

Derrick Mensah has played international football at under-20 level for Ghana.

Playing career

=Club career=

== Tema Youth ==

Mensah started his career with Tema Youth. He scored his first{{citation needed|date=August 2014}} senior professional goal against Ebusua Dwarfs on 24 October 2012.{{cite web|title=Tema Youth vs Cape Coast Ebusua Dwarfs Main Events|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/match/93896/tema-youth-vs-cape-coast-ebusua-dwarfs/main-events|publisher=Goal Ghana|access-date=22 April 2014}} The club were relegated that season.{{cite web|last=Mensah|first=Kent|title=Arsenal, Tema Youth & RTU say goodbye to Ghana league|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4389/ghana/2013/06/23/4069638/arsenal-tema-youth-rtu-say-goodbye-to-ghana-league?ICID=AR_RS_1|publisher=Goal Ghana|access-date=22 April 2014}}

==Club Africain ==

Following Tema Youth's relegation from the top tier of Ghanaian football, the club decided that they would sell all their players to make way for new players.{{cite web|title=Revealed: All Tema Youth Players Up For Sale|url=http://www.modernghana.com/sports/484352/2/revealed-all-tema-youth-players-up-for-sale.html|work=ghanasoccernet|publisher=Modern Ghana|access-date=22 April 2014}} Mensah moved to Tunisian side Club Africain.{{cite web|title=Ex Ghana U20 star Derrick Mensah close to Atletico Madrid move|url=http://www.modernghana.com/sports/508321/2/ex-ghana-u20-star-derrick-mensah-close-to-atletico.html|work=Modern Ghana|access-date=22 April 2014}} He left the Tunisian side without playing a single professional game for them following allegations of salary problems which saw him terminating his contract.

== Baník Ostrava ==

After failing to obtain a contract with Atlético Madrid, he trialed with Czech side Ostrava but almost failed due to language problems.{{cite web|last=Okai Gyimah|first=Edmund|title=Narh and Mensah's Banik Ostrava deal in danger|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4389/ghana/2014/02/12/4614019/narh-and-mensahs-banik-ostrava-deal-in-danger?ICID=AR_RA_1|publisher=Goal|access-date=22 April 2014}}{{cite web|title=Francis Narh and Derrick Mensah, two Ghanaians for trials in Banik Ostrava|url=http://en.starafrica.com/football/francis-narh-and-derrick-mensah-two-ghanaians-for-trials-in-banik-ostrava.html|publisher=star africa|access-date=22 April 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160127002919/http://en.starafrica.com/football/francis-narh-and-derrick-mensah-two-ghanaians-for-trials-in-banik-ostrava.html|archive-date=27 January 2016}} Despite the problems he has impressed enough for the club to offer him a contract. However, his former club Africain took the matter to FIFA and delayed the transfer. Another factor was the late issuance of the International Transfer Certificate. However, he eventually signed for the club.{{cite web|title=EXCLUSIVE: Czech side Banik Ostrava complete signing of Derrick Mensah, Francis Narh|url=http://ghanasoccernet.com/exclusiveczech-side-banik-ostrava-complete-signing-derrick-mensah-francis-narh/|work=ghanasoccernet|access-date=22 April 2014}} He made his debut against FK Jablonec as a substitute in the 74th minute in which his team suffered a 1–0 defeat.

== Haugesund ==

Mensah signed for Haugesund in January 2016 on a three-year deal.{{cite web|last1=Boateng|first1=Solomon|title=Derrick Mensah inks deal with FK Haugesund|url=http://www.ghanalive.tv/2016/01/21/derrick-mensah-inks-deal-with-fk-haugesund/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915203538/http://www.ghanalive.tv/2016/01/21/derrick-mensah-inks-deal-with-fk-haugesund/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=15 September 2016|website=Ghanalive.tv|access-date=21 August 2016}}

== Aluminij ==

Mensah signed for Slovenian club Aluminij on 27 January 2017.{{cite news|url=https://snportal.si/prva-liga/kidricani-spomladi-z-ganskim-vezistom/|title=Kidričani spomladi z ganskim vezistom|trans-title=Aluminij with a Ghanaian midfielder to the spring season|language=Slovenian|date=27 January 2017|access-date=27 January 2017|publisher=SNPortal.si|author=Peter Dominko}}

International career

Mensah was selected for the U-20 African Youth Championship in Algeria, for the tournament's 2013 edition.{{cite web|last=Welsing|first=Kobina|title=Sellas Tetteh names Ghana's final 21-man squad for African Youth Championship in Algeria|url=http://www.goal.com/en-gh/news/4389/ghana/2013/03/08/3808386/sellas-tetteh-names-ghanas-final-21-man-squad-for-african|work=Goal Ghana|access-date=22 April 2014}} He played two games at the tournament.

Personal

Mensah views Milan Baroš{{cite web|last=Frimpong Manson|first=Akyereko|title=Ghana midfielder Derrick Mensah drawing inspiration from Uefa Champions Lge winner Milan Baros at Ostrava|url=http://www.ghanasoccernet.com/ghana-midfielder-mensah-drawing-inspiration-uefa-champions-lge-winner-milan-baros-ostrava/|work=ghanasoccernet|access-date=22 April 2014}} as a role model.