Hearts of Oak Handed Fresh Transfer Ban Despite Settling New Edubiase Debt

Hearts of Oak Slapped with Fresh Transfer Ban Despite Settling New Edubiase Dispute

By Emmanuel Austin Baah On Jul 9, 2025

Ghana Premier League giants Accra Hearts of Oak have been hit with another transfer ban, just days after successfully resolving a long-standing financial dispute with New Edubiase United FC.

The Phobians recently paid a $38,000 settlement to New Edubiase, which led to the lifting of a previous transfer ban imposed by the Ghana Football Association (GFA). That ban stemmed from the club’s failure to comply with a GFA Players’ Status Committee ruling, which required Hearts to pay:

$50,000 in outstanding transfer fees for midfielder Salim Adams
$20,000, representing 40% of an onward transfer fee, in line with the original agreement

Despite an attempt to resolve the matter earlier in March 2025—when New Edubiase agreed to waive a portion of the total due following Adams’ failed move to FC Cincinnati—Hearts failed to meet the agreed timelines. As a result, the GFA imposed a transfer ban under Article 15(1)(c) of its Disciplinary Code after the club missed the final payment deadline of 31 May 2025.

Following a revised agreement between the two clubs, Hearts paid the agreed $38,000 in full roughly two weeks ago, leading to the automatic lifting of the ban in accordance with GFA rules.

New Ban Over Unpaid Debt to Former Player

However, the club’s administrative woes continue. Just days after the initial reprieve, a new transfer ban has been imposed—this time for failing to pay over GHS 106,000 to former player Francis Adjetey, as ordered by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

Hearts of Oak reportedly failed to meet the 7 July 2025 deadline to comply with the CAS directive, triggering another automatic ban.

Ongoing Financial and Legal Challenges

The back-to-back sanctions highlight persistent financial and compliance issues plaguing the club. With pre-season preparations underway, the latest development poses a significant setback to Hearts’ efforts to strengthen their squad for the upcoming 2025/26 campaign.

The club is yet to issue an official statement on the latest ban or outline steps to resolve the issue with Adjetey.

Author

Emmanuel Austin Baah

My name is Emmanuel Austin Baah, professionally known as “Okocha”. I am a seasoned Ghanaian journalist, broadcaster and football commentator from Senya Bereku in the Central Region. My work reflects a strong commitment to factual reporting, ethical journalism and the continuous promotion of Ghanaian sports.

I am currently pursuing my studies at Cape Coast Technical University, building on a solid foundation of media practice and communication. I previously served as a sports producer at Radio Gold (90.5) and Montie FM (100.1) in Accra, where I was actively involved in editorial planning, programme production, live commentary and in-depth sports analysis.

Presently, I am a Senior Writer at SportsNetGhana.com, a role in which I produce well-researched features, match reports, athlete profiles and analytical pieces. My work consistently highlights emerging talents, captures key sporting developments and contributes to shaping informed sports discourse in Ghana.

Over the course of my career, I have covered numerous major sporting events both locally and internationally. Among these, the highlight remains my coverage of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, a significant milestone that strengthened my expertise in global football reporting and enhanced my understanding of international sports dynamics.

I am widely recognised for my clarity of analysis, engaging commentary style and strong command of both local and global football trends. Beyond the newsroom, I participate in community initiatives aimed at developing young sports journalists and promoting youth engagement in sports.

For professional engagements, media collaborations or enquiries, please contact me on 0265284330.

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