Hearts Reap ¢1.25b From Taylor saga
Accra Hearts of Oak ended an otherwise memorable relationship with one of their best players in recent times, Charles Taylor, who joined rivals Asante Kotoko late last week but the sudden divorce has brought untold financial boom in local terms to Hearts.
The transfer of the player and the preceding events have stuffed the coffers of Hearts with a staggering ¢1.25 billion
An all-time record of ¢400 million transfer price plus the combined compensation of ¢850 from the player and Kotoko for their roles in the player’s sudden abrogation of his contract have boosted the financial standing of Hearts.
The transfer deal, brokered late last week, made Taylor’s long-cherished dream of joining the Porcupine family a reality.
But as he succeeded in initiating a new path in his short but turbulent career, the financial windfall from his sale has almost cut short any quibbling from Hearts about his departure.
Graphic Sports has learnt from Hearts sources that the club has already cashed the initial ¢850 million and were in the process of depositing the transfer fee proper into their accounts as at press time yesterday.
Indeed, the conclusion of negotiations for Kotoko to pay the ¢400 million asking transfer price to Hearts might have paved way for the last minute registration of Taylor by Kotoko for the rest of the Kinapharma Premier League matches.
It also capped the frantic efforts of officials of Kotoko in roping the player into their fold even in the face of the staggering sums involved in the entire affair.
The desire almost delayed last Friday when Hearts insisted on receiving the ¢400 million in bankers draft instead of the cheque Kotoko had initially attempted to effect payment with.
The source said at a point the Ghana Football Association (GFA) issued a cheque for the said amount effecting payment of Taylor’s transfer on behalf of Kotoko last Friday, apparently to pave way for the GFA’s endorsement of the player’s registration with Kotoko.
He said Hearts refused to deal with the GFA on the matter, as the transaction was not between Hearts and the national football association, and they (Hearts) did not understand the interest the GFA had in the matter.