Accra Hearts of Oak, has offered an explanation on the exit of striker, Joseph Esso, which has flabbergasted fans of the club.
The Phobians announced on Friday that Esso, along with four others, would be leaving the club after they agreed to not extend their contracts upon expiration.
While the exit of Christopher Bonney, Bernard Arthur, Benjamin Agyare and Abubakar Traore was expected, Esso’s has been questioned considering he’s been the club’s best player in the last three years.
Communications Director for the club, Kwame Opare Addo, has opened up on the reasons for the player’s exit.
“Joseph Esso opted for only one year contract extension, the club wanted him to sign a two year extension.
“The club started engaging him more than a year ago, hoping he would change his mind but it never happened. “Beyond that, the financial demands he was also making for that one year extension were unrealistic so we had no option than to let him go,” Opare Addo told Citi FM.
The 23-year old joined Hearts of Oak on a three-year deal from fellow Premiership side Ebusua Dwarfs in 2017.
He netted 3 goals in his 14 appearances for the Phobians in the truncated 2019/20 Ghana Premier League season.
Esso was a member of the Black Stars ‘B’ squad that won silver medal at the 2019 WAFU Cup staged in Senegal.
The Phobians also released Agyare, Bonney, Traoré and Arthur for non-performance as their contracts with the club have run out.
