Hearts of Oak have finally released Joseph Esso even though they had agreed a new two-year contract because the highly-prized striker refused to issue a public apology before signing the new deal.
The Accra-based team issued a release letter to the player on Monday evening when Esso refused the demands of the Managing Director to issue a public apology before he signed the deal.
The latest twist to the long-drawn saga came to a head after top supporters of the club managed to convince the player not to leave the club over his contractual demands.
But before the striker could sign the new deal, Frederick Moore demanded a public apology from the player claiming the initial refusal that resulted in the club releasing the player 10 days ago had humiliated the Ghanaian giants.
Esso insisted that he had not wronged anyone to warrant an apology from him leading to the club releasing the player for the second time in 10 days.
Hearts had reached an agreement to re-sign their released striker Joseph Esso on Friday, just one week after the Ghanaian giants released the contract rebel.
The 23-year-old met with the leadership of the Phobians on Thursday night and have finally reached an agreement over the terms of his new contract.
Chairman Togbe Afede and the club’s Managing Director were among several leaders of the club who met the player to help him reduce his mammoth wage increase demands that caused the club to release the player.
An agreement had been reached over the terms for him to sign a two-year fresh contract and he was expected to sign on the dotted lines but the stand-off with Moore led to the fresh cancellantion of the deal.
The news will anger fans of the Accra-based club who are angry over players leaving club at the end of their contract, accusing the club’s leadership of making the necessary efforts of re-engaging the top players.
The forward and the Phobians went separate ways last week Friday, much to the surprise and dismay of fans of the Accra-based outfit, after failing to successfully negotiate a contract renewal.
Esso was among five players who were released by Hearts last week Friday sparking anger in some quarters and sparking hopes for rivals Asante Kotoko that they could grab the talented player.
It is not known if similar efforts would be made to re-engage Benjamin Agyare and Christopher Bonney as well as attackers Bernard Arthur and Abubakar Troare who were released together with Esso last week.
Esso, who played 14 games and netted on three occasions in the Premier League last season, Hearts from Ebusua Dwarfs in 2018.
He was among Ghana’s best players at the 2019 Wafu Cup of Nations in Senegal where he netted twice to help the side finish as runners-up.
After his good showing at the cup tournament, the attacker was heavily linked to Sudanese side Al-Hilal last December.
Source: Ghanasoccernet.com
