Midfielder Ato Mensah could have been the first Ghanaian footballer to play for Spanish top-flight side Las Palmas 32 years before Wakaso Mubarak signed for the La Liga side.
Wakaso signed for Las Palmas last week, making him the first Ghanaian to sign for the club but on August 1, 1983 there were intense activities related to the club's signing of an African player.
Atto Mensah, who was then 21 years old could have been the first Ghanaian to sign for the club after he had requested an opportunity to play for Las Palmas when he was hot in the news.
The Ghanaian was extremely talented and trained in the team then coached by Hector Nunez. His performances just before the summer divided opinion among fans and technical bench of the Las Palmas team.
Las Palmas were seeking to rebuild their squad after their promotion had gone to South America - specifically Argentina to recruit players. They succeeded in signing Roberto Maschiarelli but there was another chance to sign another player which led to the introduction of Mensah.
Mensah who then played for a Buenos Aires club and was accompanied by his agent Andrew Martin. However the information  provided by the player contrasted with the information the club had about him.
Mensah said that he was born in Ghana in 1962 and his first club was Dumas in 1974.
It also stated that since 1980 he moved to Sierra Leone to play for East End Lions and in his last season as the club he was considered as the best foreign player. In addition, he chose to go on trial at Las Palmas even though he was wanted at Sporting Lisbon and Tottenham Hotspurs.
His story was not believed by leaders of Las Palmas while the subject was talk of the town before he was given the chance to play in friendlies for the club. Mensah played in several friendlies - Maspalomas (0-3), Orotava (0-1), 2-0 defeat to Cartagena and also Hercules (2-0).
The town's biggest sports newspaper Sport Canarias announced the arrival of the Ghanaian player and he became the subject of debate in the streets, training, parties, and radio discussion but finally Hector Nunez decided not to sign him.
The Ghanaian did not stay on the island because he was already on his way to another club following interest from major clubs.
Mensah went and he was never heard of again in Gran Canaria. He nontinued his career in Sierra Leone and switched nationality to play for them. He played in Ivory Coast and even Holland. 32 years on his compatriot Wakaso will become the first Ghanaian to play for the club.