Kotoko have breakthrough in Justice Blay transfer as midfielder will be joining in 3-year deal in second round of Ghana Premier League
Asante Kotoko have reportedly achieved a breakthrough in Justice Blay deal after agreeing a 3-year deal in a free transfer for the Medeama Sporting Club midfielder.
The breakthrough came after maintaining chase for the midfielder since Blay and Kotoko parted ways from a season loan move at cancellation of 2019-2020 season. Kotoko have been patience enough in a midst of Medeama’s huge asking price tactics and have finally landed their top transfer target for free if a report by Kickgh is to go by.
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According to the Ghanaian portal, the hardworking midfielder will join the Porcupine Warriors from Medeama SC in the second round of the 2021/22 Ghana Premier League season.
The Black Stars ‘B’ star has turned down a contract extension offer from Medeama SC ahead of a move to the most decorated club in Ghana next year.
Blay, who missed half of the 2020/21 Premier League due to injury, has emerged on the radar of Asante Kotoko after an earlier attempt of his acquisition hit snag.
It is understood that the combative midfielder has reached an agreement with the management of the Ghanaian giants over a three-year deal to be announced in 2022.
His contract with Medeama SC will be expiring in May 2022. The Ghanaian International completed a season long loan move to the Ghana Premier League leaders last two seasons.
The 29-year-old was one of the most consistent players at the Porcupine Warriors during his initial temporary spell. However, his output saw Kotoko exited the Caf Champions League in first round and Confederation Cup playoff against Étoile Sportive du Sahel and San Pedro of Ivory Coast respectively.
Kotoko made attempt to sign Blay on permanent deal after ending of his loan deal but failed to meet Medeama’s asking price. With competition from the Premier Soccer League coming along the line, Medeama placed a huge amount $100, 000 on Blay that put Asante Kotoko off the transfer in a split of moments.
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That was right after cancellation of last two season’s league due to coronavirus pandemic with Orlando Pirates, Maritzburg United, SuperSport United reportedly have shown huge admiration for Blay.
PSL giants backed off in the deal after learning the Ghanaian International have his heart at Kotoko and Pirates in particular signed Ghana Premier League top scorer Kwame Peprah the season after.
With Kotoko becoming the only pursuant at beginning of last term season, there was nearly a breakthrough in Blay’s transfer where both clubs reportedly reached agreement in principle.
As both parties came back on the negotiation table, Medeama Sporting Club softened their stance demanded payment of $30, 000 in exchange for Blay’s signature. With Kotoko agreeing to that reduced price, Medeama SC Communications Director Patrick Akoto came to disclose that an agreement between the two parties has been reached.
“The transfer of Justice Blay to Asante Kotoko is almost done. In principle, both parties have agreed (on a deal) but Blay is yet to put pen on paper.
“The only thing left now is something like the payment terms, whether to pay in full or tranches,” the Medeama SC PRO earlier revealed in an interview with Oyerepa Sports via Football Ghana.
However, with Blay expected to join Kotoko teammates at the beginning of this season though he was injured, the deal fell through with reports of non-agreement on payment structure halting the transfer.
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The Darkwa based side were reportedly interested in full payment amid raising funds for recruitment into the current season while Kotoko wanted installment structure.
With both parties departing from the negotiations table for Blay, Kotoko invested in deals for at least 12 new players including Richmond Lamptey, Richard Boadu, Samuel Appiah, Maxwell Agyemang, Clinton Opoku, Joseph Amaoko, Isaac Oppong, Sheriff Mohammed, Stephen Amankona, Samuel Boateng and two Cameroonian Internationals Mfegue and Mbella.
While the signing exercise is quality and contains central midfielders of Richard Boadu, Lamptey and Sheriff Mohammed, it lacked a typical perfect defensive midfielder in the system though Mudasiru Salifu, Richard Boadu and Emmanuel Keyekeh has been deployed in that area times ago.
Keyekeh has fallen out of favour under Prosper Ogum, completely sidelined to regular bench failing to register any minute after 6 Ghana Premier League games. Boadu, who struggled to enter into Ogum’s starting XI in first two games, has been used in the defensive role in recent Kotoko games but his style of play is greatly regarded for deep-lying play-maker role.
Similar situation if found for Mudasiru Salifu whom recent Kotoko managers have got his perfect position wrong. Most of Maxwell Konadu who now boss at Legon Cities and Mariano Barreto who was fired at the end of last season have deployed Mudasiru Salifu in defensive role but Kotoko new boss Prosper Narteh Ogum has find the perfect position in middle of the pitch for the former CS Sfaxien ace, box-to-box.
With Keyekeh not playing, Boadu greatly a deep-lying play-maker and ‘Muda’ effective at box-to-box role, finding that perfect defensive man has become Prosper Narteh’s top most priority ahead of the next transfer window that opens early next year.
Justice Blay has been the first name on mind having shine in his previous experience with the Kumasi based side. A report revealed on one of Kumasi’s radio stations claims that Kotoko have not completely cut connections with Blay despite the player playing for Medeama SC.
Read this on Blay
And that suggest Kotoko have since been in talks with the midfield possibly over a move in the second round of the Ghana Premier League. Like Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante whom Thomas Tuchel stated, ahead of Blues’ 3-3 Champions League draw at Zenit, that every team would want to have in his midfield, Kotoko boss prosper Narteh is not different from this and want Justice Blay at Kotoko claimed by Kickgh.
There could have been a stumbling block in their rekindled interest in the Ghanaian if the 2019 WAFU finalist still had more years at Medeama. That may mean Kotoko would have still passed Medeama’s huge asking price test. But according to the Kickgh’s report, Blay has only six months left on his current contract at Tarkwa.
And with his parent club’s effort to tie him down further long after offering a contract extension, Blay has turned down the new proposal amid his move to Kotoko.
It’s understood that the deal is already done with Blay reportedly signing a 3-year deal with Ogum’s side. He is expected to join his Kotoko teammate in May 2022 when the Ghana Premier League has entered into intense stage
Blay has managed to score ones in two matches for Medeama SC in the Ghana Premier League this season so far.
