Asante Kotoko targeting signing of veteran striker Asamoah Gyan ahead of CAF Champions League
The Ghana Premier League side have targeted the signing of former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan ahead of next season’s participation in African club competitions.
The 1983 CAF Champions League winners, after beating Al Ahly 1-0 on aggregate to lift their second title in African club top flight football, have struggled to climb to top in the Champions League in particular over a decade now.
But the West African giants are confident of securing group stage football as they mark another appearance in the Champions League (for the 2020/2021 season) after less than a year they were crushed out of the competition by Tunisian side Etoile Sportive du Sahel.
They are much aware, the tough nature of the competition they have, through their newly appointed Club Executive Officer Nana Yaw Amponsah, have targeted winning in a couple of few subsequent seasons.
Strengthening their setup may be an important step in bridging any gap to lifting the African elite trophy at club level, and they have identified legendary striker Asamoah Gyan as one of eight players to bolster the chances in the CAF Champions League.
It remain unclear without talks between Kotoko and Gyan have started but the former Sunderland forward is a free agent after leaving Indian side NorthEast United at the end of this season.
Gyan’s prior form, if he completes a move to Kotoko, would be good for the 23-time Ghana Premier League champions after ending his spell in the Indian Super League- involving 5 times in 8 league games for NorthEast United.
Meanwhile, the 34-year old who is regarded as one of the greatest footballers in Africa has revealed his desire to play for Kotoko before he retires.
“I’ve supported Kumasi Asante Kotoko since I was a kid, till now. I even said to myself that I had to play Kotoko, but I didn’t have the chance to play before traveling outside” he noted.
“I have said that I have to wear the red shirt before I call it a day. I want to finish my career at Kumasi Asante Kotoko”.
Black Stars’ no.3 shirted man, is one of Ghana’s finest in club football after leaving Liberty Professionals in 2003- finding back of the net 10 times in 16 games in that season before leaving for Udinese and left in 2008.
“There are so many people when they were kids, they will tell that I want to be a doctor, but they end up being a nurse, or a waitress, they end up being a hostess”.
“So it’s something I want to do, I want to end my career with Kotoko.”
Gyan is African’s top scorer at the FIFA World Cup with 6 goals, and began the account in his maiden appearance at the FIFA men senior competition in 2006 against Czech Republic.
Connect with Futball Surgery
