Hearts of Oak loses bigger time of a loss after Afriyie Barnieh completing move to Swiss side FC Zurich
- Afriyie Barnieh has reportedly left Hearts to join Swiss side FC Zurich
- The move is a loss to the Ghanaian side
- Hearts will find it difficult to get Barnieh’s perfect replacement
- Heats have been offered small money in Barnieh’s transfer
- The small money means Hearts have lost big time after many years of developing Barnieh to his current level
Hearts of Oak have lost their prize asset Afriyie Barnieh following the forward’s move to Swiss side FC Zurich.
The Ghana Soccer Net has claimed that FC Zurich have permanently completed the signing of Afriyie Barnieh from Ghana Premier League former Champions Hearts of Oak on a suggested free transfer.
The Ghanaian International has become the most sought-after player since his featuring in the 2022 Qatar for the Black Stars with the likes of Esperance de Tunis, Al Ahly, CD Leganes and unnamed Sudanese side expressing interest in the Ghanaian in a January move.
Barnieh turned down a move to Leganes and Sudan amid a transfer to Egyptian side Al Ahly who face Barnieh’s Black Galaxies in friendly game on Saturday as Ghana prepare for 2022 CHAN in Algeria.
While a move to Al Ahly would have been one of the best deals, Barnieh and his representatives didn’t like a move to the Northern soil that may have hampered Ahly’s chances of landing the youngster this January.
FC Zurich have emerged winners for Barnieh’s signature after the attacker passing the Swiss side’s medicals last Thursday.
The move see Hearts of Oak already lose the forward but there is a bigger loss for the Ghanaian side. Barnieh’s last three years transition in career put him in a position of the region of $800,000-1.5million as market value assuming he has at least a 3-year contract at his club.
But Hearts of Oak failed to tie Barnieh down for a longer period with the forward contract finishing at the end of December, making him a free man to join any club of his choice. There are reports claiming Hearts tried many times to extend Afriyie Barnieh’s contract but attempts never materialized
The 21-year old’s move under considerable Hearts contract would have earn the Ghana Premier League side between $800,000-1.5million or something higher than $500,000.
But with Barnieh joining FC Zurich on a free transfer or in a similar deal, Hearts of Oak will reportedly earn nothing as sound a transfer fee other than a training and compensation fee of around US$150,000 when the deal is officially announced, according to Ghana Soccer Net.
Barnieh’s departure and quality already make a loss that Hears will take years to find his replacement but earning no transfer fee, and small amount of money against Barnierh’s calibre is a bigger loss for the rainbow club.
The root cause of these losses are hidden but Ghana Premier League clubs need to upgrade themselves in the element of professionalism that sees the welfare and contract of players to avoid future bigger losses.
