Accra Hearts of Oak striker Kwame Kizito says he has paid his dues at the club it is time to move on to greater challenges in Sweden after his contract with the Phobians ran out at the end of the Ghana Premier League season.
Kizito is determined to leave as a free agent for a professional career with BK Hacken, but Hearts management are ready to release him only after the Swedish side pay his player’s training and development fees before obtaining the International Transfer Certificate (ITC) to complete the transfer.
The forward, who scored seven goals as Hearts finished third in the Premier League, and also featured prominently in Ghana’s triumph at the WAFU Cup of Nations, told the Graphic Sports that nothing would stop him from moving to Europe despite an ongoing tussle with Hearts for the release of his ITC.
Kizito, 21, said he was satisfied with the offer from BK Hacken who are bent on sealing the deal. “I got several offers even before the season ended but I have settled on Hacken FC in Sweden and nothing is going to stop me from joining them. I am yet to retrieve my ITC from Accra Hearts of Oak and once I get it I will move,” he said.
However, the Administrative Manager of the Hearts, Hackman Aidoo, has refuted claims that the club was frustrating the player by holding onto his ITC to prevent him from leaving.
While admitting that Kizito was out of contract and was free to move, Mr Aidoo insisted that Hacken or any club desirous of signing him must pay Hearts $25,000 as Training and Development Fees per FIFA rules.
“He came here and I told him that once he is out of contract he can go, but the right thing must be done so that Hearts will also benefit from his transfer. His new club are supposed to pay Hearts $25,000 which they have agreed to pay.
“It is the FA that is supposed to issue his ITC when the transfer window opens in January, so I don’t know why he thinks we are holding on to his ITC.”
In a related development, Hearts skipper Thomas Abbey has denied that he was leaving the club and was on the verge of sealing a move to South Africa premier side, Cape Town City FC.
He told the Graphic Sports over the telephone yesterday that he was in South Africa but on holidays and was not in the process of signing for another club, although he was open to any opportunity to join another club outside Ghana if the terms were good.
“Please it is never true. I have not signed any contract with any club so I was surprised when the calls started coming in to confirm the news. They keep mentioning different clubs when they call, but I don’t know what they are talking about,” he said.
“It is true that I am in South Africa but I am on holidays. The league [in Ghana] has ended so I just came here to rest and be rejuvenated for next season,” Abbey said.
“Every player wishes to progress in his career so if I get a contract and the terms are good I will take it. But for now I want to state categorically that I have not signed any deal with any club in South Africa.”
