Former King Faisal striker Osman Bashiru, has revealed in an interview on how his agent duped him more than half of his signing-on fee.
Narrating his ordeal in Kumasi-based Angel FM, he explained how the agent who sent him to Israel to play for Hapoel Petah Tikva took $40,000 of his signing-on fee before he arrived in Israel to sign the deal.
“I left Ghana after our match against Hearts of Oak in Kumasi. When I completed my medicals and the signing of my contract, the club gave me $7,000, promised to add the remaining $3,000 of my signing-on fee,’’ he mentioned.
‘’I made them aware that I’m entitled to $50,000 according to my contract. The club presented a transaction sheet with an indication that I’ve already requested for $40,000, a request made by the agent without my notice” Osman Bashiru said.
He added that the agent lied to the club on a pretence that he won’t board a plane if they fail to give him $40,000, a money paid to the agent without his consent.
“I angrily confronted Alhaji Grusah, which created misunderstanding between us. After tracing the money, we found out that it was paid to the agent’s bank account. What saddens me is that I played the entire season without winning bonuses and a chicken-feed salary at the end of every month.
‘’It took the intervention of Vincent Enyeama to push for salary increment and receiving of bonuses on my behalf. The first season was difficult for me because of how greedy the agent who initiated the deal was” he concluded.
He further disclosed that many Ghanaian players are left stranded in other countries due to the same circumstances he found himself in, to the extent of having difficulties in where to lay their head.
Vincent Owusu Twitter: @bonty999