Asante Kotoko’s transfer policy cost them Joseph Esso

Despite losing out on the signature of Joseph Esso, Kumasi Asante Kotoko believe their new policy on player transfer will serve the best of player interest than the existing one.

A new transfer policy which was introduced by the new CEO of the club, Nana Yaw Amponsah, will now prevent the payment of signing-on fees to players and instead spread it as part of their wages over the number of years the player signed.

Esso who joined Dreams FC after he snubbed interest from the Porcupine Warriors, demanded to be paid GH₵50,000 as signing-on fee but because he refused the new policy which allowed the club to spread the amount as part of his salary, the deal was turned down.

Speaking to the Graphic Sports about the new policy in an interview yesterday, the Public Relations Officer of the club, Moses Antwi Benefo, said because the policy was novel players were finding it difficult buying into it.

He explained that the policy was the best as it ensured that players in the club were properly remunerated instead of receiving a lump sum only to be poorly paid at the end of the month.

While some critics believe the policy was a huge disincentive for quality players to join the club, the PRO of the club believes it will rather guarantee players a better wage.

He was of the view that the policy might not be popular among many footballers now but was hopeful that those who believed in it would certainly buy into it and join the club.

According to Benefo, the CEO of the club was not happy about the low wages that Ghanaian received at the end of every month and wanted to change the narrative for players to be paid very well as the only means for which quality players could be retained in the league.

He questioned the rationale for advancing a huge sum of money as signing-on fee to a player when same could be done in a different way to ensure the financial sustenance of the player.

The PRO hinted that it was one of the policies Amponsah was looking forward to implement across the board in the event he was the GFA president to ensure Ghanaian players were paid well.