Potential Franck Mbella Etouga replacement at Kotoko identified ahead of summer transfer window
Asante Kotoko may have identified replacement for Cameroonian International Franck Mbella Eotuga having their forward heavily been linked with a move away from the Baba Yara Stadium. Europe appears the likeliest destination for Mbella Etouga.
The Cameroonian International has hit the ground running in Ghana scoring 19 times in the Ghana Premier League while he still stand the chance of breaking Ghanaian league all-time top scorer record set by Ismael Addo with 23 goals in 2003 season.
Mbella’s form has attracted him huge interest from Europe with St. Etienne, Metz, Stade Rennais and in recent reports Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid and Elche have been claimed to be preparing a bid for the center forward when the season ends.
Kotoko are said to let the striker leave and have placed a 1.5M Dollars price tag on the Cameroonian who want to leave for Europe next season but not in a harry.
With Kotoko’s stance of letting Mbella depart, the pending Ghana Premier League champions have started moves to bring in the forward’s replacement.
Kotoko have been linked with several players in other departments but few names have been linked to Mbella’s center role position. The Reds are in talks with unnamed Senegalese striker while a Cameroonian forward could be heading to Kumasi according to sources close to the club.
Besides, Petro Luanda attacker Tiago Azulao has also been linked with a move to the Ghanaian giants but there appears some form of obstacles surrounding the Brazilian’s situation. First is a huge competition from North African sides ES Tunis, Zamalek, CS Sfaxien, CR Belouizdad and ES Setif planning a bid for the Caf Champion League goal-king. It’s understood that those clubs are in better position than Asante Kotoko to land Azulao.
Second is Azulao’s age who is currently 34 years that Kotoko’s current project overlooks players like Azulao for younger stars though the Ghanaian side may weight circumstances to sign exceptionally experienced players with Ghana legend Asamoah Gyan and former Black Stars midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang Badu on their wanted list.
With these situations likely to hamper Kotoko’s move for Tiago Azulao, Hemeya Tanjy is the latest perfect man to replace Franck Mbella Etouga at Asante Kotoko. The Mauritanian International who turned 24 years on 1st May has age on his side as well as remains silent name for prospective Kotoko competitors for the FC Nouadhibou attacker.
Hemeya Tanjy has been sensational for FC Nouadhibou and Mauritanian national team for the past three seasons. The 24-year joined FC Nouadhibou in July 2018 helping his side win the Mauritania Premier League title three consecutive times and in the run for a fourth title in a row this season.
Tanjy is expected to stay at FC Nouadhibou for longer as no club has shortlisted the forward for a move at the end of the season. Asante Kotoko should explore the opportunity to capture the sensational attacker. The Ghanaian giants became aware of Tanjy’s qualities when Nouadhibou and Kotoko met in the 2020-2021 Caf Champions League preliminary round. Kotoko qualified to the next round of the competition on 3-1 aggregate after Caf awarded the Ghanaian side 2-0 victory after FC Nouadhibou failed to honour the second leg fixture at Accra Sports Stadium.
Kotoko had drawn 1-1 in the first leg in Mauritania and Tanjy was closely marked by the Kotoko defense but impressed through the first leg clash. He equalized for his club from the spot. Kotoko were understood to be eyeing a move for the attacker but change of club’s management halted the potential move for the Mauritanian national.
Tanjy continues to maintain a high reputation in Africa and the Mauritanian Premier League scoring 3 times in 4 Caf Champions League games this season though Nouadhibou failed to enter money zone of the African Champions League after being eliminated a second round by semifinalists ES Setif.
Tanjy who is valued €125, 000 was willing to join Kotoko in the first attempt and it’s expected nothing has changed. He resembles Etouga in movement up front and scoring technique. But he is more capable than Mbella Etouga when it comes to dribbling which will make Asante Kotoko more dangerous in attack next term.
