Ghanaian midfielder Ibrahim Salifu has decided not to renew his contract with Hearts of Oak, citing alleged mistreatment by top club officials as the primary reason.
According to his agent, Benedict Asiedu, Salifu’s dissatisfaction stems from the club’s decision to sell him to Nsoatreman FC without his knowledge, sidelining him for no apparent reason, and being told by the coach to stop playing him.
Salifu joined Hearts of Oak in February 2021 on a three-year deal from Eleven Wonders and played a crucial role in the team’s success, including helping them win the Ghana Premier League title in the 2020/21 season. However, his contract has now expired, and he is seeking a new challenge.
The head coach, Aboubakar Ouattara, has instructed Salifu to stay away from training until further notice, raising doubts about his participation in the upcoming Democracy Cup game scheduled for July 5.
In an interview with Kessben FM, Asiedu revealed that the club’s failure to extend Salifu’s contract was due to the player’s hurt feelings over the alleged mistreatment.
“It’s about contract extension. We couldn’t find an agreement because the player is hurt about certain things,” Asiedu said.
“The issues are that Hearts of Oak wanted to sell him to Nsoatreman FC without informing him, sidelining him for no reason, a new coach comes in, he plays him, and they told the coach to stop using him and all that. If there’s time for him to extend his contract, it will be difficult.”
