24 Under 24: #7 Kwadwo Poku, New York City FC

Kwadwo Poku | Midfielder | New York City FC | Age: 23

Last Year in 24 Under 24: n/a

2015 Stats: Matches played: 23 - Goals: 4 - Assists: 7

Six months ago, almost nobody knew who he was. Nowadays, you can find 25,000 New Yorkers chanting his name, begging NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis to bring the Ghanaian folk hero onto the field for the expansion club.

Poku has been a revelation in New York City FC's inaugural season, and he seems to have embraced his role as a game-changing substitute. What sets him apart is that he has the size and strength usually associated with a No. 9, but is a devastating passer of the ball from anywhere in the attacking third, especially when faced up as a No. 10.

If you can pass the ball, you can play the game, and Poku plays it well. Come next season, expect him to shed his super-sub label and become a focal point.

What the technical staffers say: "Still a bit of an enigma in this league. He has some gifts on the ball – if he gets the ball in space and is running at a guy, he can wrong-foot him and hit a shot, but he also has an eye to hit a pass that can make the defense come apart.

"Overall, there’s still some question marks in terms of how connected he is with all the other parts of the game – how aware he is, how alert he is, without the ball and in defense."

What Opta Sports says: Kwadwo Poku averages 2.7 chances created per 90 minutes, most among 24 Under 24-eligible players who have played more than 29 minutes in MLS this season.