According to reports, Damac submitted a first offer for the 33-year-old shot-stopper last year and have since returned with an improved bid. Talks between the two clubs are understood to be ongoing.

The interest has led to widespread speculation about a potential transfer fee. Reports had suggested that Hearts of Oak were demanding a fee in excess of $200,000 for the goalkeeper. However, the club has since moved to dismiss these claims.

In a statement released on Wednesday, July 15, Hearts of Oak described reports of a set valuation as "false and without factual basis".

"Hearts of Oak has not placed any valuation on Benjamin Asare and has not authorised any individual or media outlet to communicate a transfer fee or asking price on its behalf," the club stated.

While denying that a price has been set, the Phobians have indicated they remain open to considering offers that serve the best interests of both the player and the club.

Asare’s stock has risen considerably after a stellar World Cup campaign in North America. The Hearts of Oak captain established himself as Ghana's first-choice goalkeeper, producing a clean sheet in a historic goalless draw against tournament favourites England and helping the Black Stars progress from a difficult group. His performances saw him ranked as the sixth-best goalkeeper at the tournament.

The 33-year-old remains under contract with Hearts of Oak until June 2027, placing the club in a strong negotiating position as interest in his signature grows.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

The club confirmed the acquisition of the midfielder from Ghana Premier League champions Medeama Sporting Club on Wednesday.

This comes after GHANAsoccernet exclusively reported in the last 24 hours that Adams was on the move and would join Al Hilal SC as a next step in his career.

EXCLUSIVE: Medeama SC star Salim Adams flies out to Sudan to complete Al Hilal move

According to an official club statement, Al Hilal SC have signed Salim Adams on a four-year contract.

“Ghanaian midfielder Salem Adams, 24, has joined the ranks of Sudan’s giant on a four-year contract.

“Everyone at our club welcomes you, Adams, and wishes you every success,” the Sudanese club said in a statement on Facebook.

Adams leaves the shores of Ghana on the back of an exceptional campaign with Medeama SC. He was the team’s star man in the 2025/26 season, leading the side to claim the Ghana Premier League title at the end of the season.

The former Hearts of Oak man is now set to begin a new chapter of his career with Al Hilal SC.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Asante Kotoko are set to appoint experienced South African coach Eric Tinkler as the club's new head coach, bringing an end to their search for a permanent manager.

The Porcupine Warriors have been without a substantive head coach since the departure of Karim Zito, with interim coaches Prince Yaw Owusu and later Hamza Obeng overseeing the team.

The club recently appointed Dutchman Stanley Menzo as Director of Football, tasked with overseeing the technical direction, and the search for a new head coach has been a key priority.

Tinkler brings a wealth of experience to the role, having managed several clubs in the South African Premier Soccer League. He has previously been in charge of Orlando Pirates, Cape Town City, SuperSport United, Chippa United, and Maritzburg United. Most recently, he led Sekhukhune United.

The 55-year-old former Bafana Bafana midfielder, who earned 45 caps for South Africa, has won three trophies during his coaching career: the League Cup with Cape Town City FC (2016), the Nedbank Cup with Orlando Pirates (2013/2014), and the South Africa 8 Cup with SuperSport United FC (2017/2018).

Tinkler's appointment is expected to bring stability and experience to Kotoko as they prepare for the 2026/27 season.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Burton Albion have added Jamaican-Ghanaian goalkeeper Corey Addai on a season-long loan from Stockport County.

The 28-year-old arrives with strong League One experience and is expected to bring both reliability and quality to the Brewers’ back line.

Addai made 68 appearances for Stockport over the past two seasons, helping the club reach the League One play-offs in both campaigns. He also earned recognition for his performances, including a Player of the Month award in March. Burton believe that level of consistency will make him an important part of their squad next season.

Head coach Gary Bowyer welcomed the move, praising Addai’s desire to join and highlighting his ability with the ball at his feet. Sporting director Richard Dorman also pointed to his shot-stopping, box presence and willingness to keep improving as key reasons for the signing.

Addai’s career path has taken him from Arsenal’s Hale End academy to Coventry City, several non-league loan spells, a spell in Denmark with Esbjerg fB, and then back to England with Crawley Town. He made 79 appearances for Crawley and helped them win promotion through the 2023/24 League Two play-offs.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Ghana star Mohammed Kudus has returned to full training with Tottenham Hotspur, marking a significant milestone in his recovery from a lengthy injury layoff.

The 25-year-old was spotted back on the grass with the Spurs squad during pre-season preparations, having missed Ghana's 2026 World Cup campaign after suffering a quad injury setback in January.

Kudus had returned to team training earlier this year but suffered a relapse that required further specialist review and potentially surgery, ruling him out of the tournament in North America.

Kudus had been sidelined since January after sustaining a significant quad injury during a Premier League fixture against Sunderland. The setback was a major blow for both Tottenham and Ghana, with the Black Stars counting on him to be a key figure at the World Cup.

His recovery has been carefully managed, and his return to full training offers a major boost to Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou, who will be looking to integrate the Ghanaian back into his plans for the 2026/27 season.

Kudus will be aiming to build his match fitness during pre-season and be ready for the start of the Premier League campaign. His return will also be a major boost for the Black Stars, with Ghana set to begin their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign on September 23 against Côte d'Ivoire.

For now, the sight of Kudus back on the training pitch is a welcome one for both Tottenham and Ghana fans alike.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

The Al-Ahli goalkeeper was forced to pay for his own MRI scan after the Senegalese Football Federation failed to secure medical insurance for anyone in the delegation. Mendy injured his left knee while attempting a save during Senegal's 3-2 group-stage defeat to Norway and left the pitch in the 63rd minute. He needed an MRI to assess the damage and ended up covering the cost himself – a particularly expensive procedure in the United States.

The incident is just one example of wider dysfunction. According to *Sport News Africa*, none of the players, coaches or other members of Senegal's delegation had insurance coverage during the World Cup. Medical staff worked without proper contracts and had not received all salaries and bonuses owed to them.

A French doctor who joined ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was never given a contract and had to pay for medical examinations – including MRIs for certain players – out of his own pocket, without reimbursement. Senegal's physiotherapists went unpaid for fees dating back to the AFCON, and some delegation members had to fund their own journeys home.

Tensions inside the medical department ran high, with disagreements over equipment, treatment schedules and the allocation of physiotherapists. Some players arrived late for treatment or missed sessions because no monitoring system was in place. Reports indicate that players did not fully trust team doctor Abderahmane Fedior and often sought medical opinions from outside the national team.

For Mendy, a Champions League winner with Chelsea and former FIFA Best Men's Goalkeeper, the experience highlights how far Senegal's organisational standards fell during the tournament. The Lions' World Cup ended with a dramatic 3-2 extra-time defeat to Belgium after surrendering a two-goal lead, but the off-field failures may leave a longer-lasting stain.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Speaking on TV3's Mundial live, the 2009 U-20 World Cup winner did not hold back in his assessment of the country's sporting infrastructure.

"When it comes to these kinds of things [hosting of tournaments], we have to invest big to improve facilities. And truth be spoken, our facilities are poor. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like, because I'm a Ghanaian, I wouldn't tell the truth. Our facilities are poor. The teams don't have good facilities," Opare said.

He argued that the lack of quality pitches, modern training equipment, and proper academy structures is actively harming young players.

"I think that we are not taking football seriously. And it's killing the younger generations because that is where we all developed from," he added.

Opare also criticised the current system of youth football, describing it as "a joke" and urging the Ghana Football Association to completely rethink its approach.

According to the former Real Madrid Castilla defender, reviving Ghanaian football starts with a deliberate financial commitment to the foundational levels of the game, specifically targeting local colts (youth) teams.

"They need to encourage the Colts teams. They need to push the money there. They need to make sure that these young ones get the facilities for them to improve," Opare said.

Without this critical pipeline of talent, Opare warned that the decline of the senior national team will only worsen, as the local ecosystem will simply fail to produce high-calibre players.

"Otherwise, the Black Stars is going to keep on suffering, struggling for years to come because we are not going to get the product to supply. And that's the truth," he concluded.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Speaking on TV3's Mundial Daily on Tuesday night, the 2009 U-20 World Cup winner expressed deep anger over how youth football is being managed in the country, calling the current system "a joke".

"I think we are playing a lot. It's a joke. And when I say things like this, it really makes me angry to talk about it. And when you speak, they say you talk too much. But this is the truth. I'm telling them the Federation needs to do better," Opare said.

The former Real Madrid Castilla defender criticised the saturation of meaningless fixtures and the lack of support for developmental leagues, urging the Ghana Football Association to completely rethink its approach.

According to Opare, reviving Ghanaian football starts with a deliberate financial commitment to the foundational levels of the game, specifically targeting local colts (youth) teams.

"They need to encourage the Colts teams. They need to push the money there. They need to make sure that these young ones get the facilities for them to improve," he said.

Opare also lamented the state of the country's sports infrastructure, warning that poor facilities are actively harming young players.

**"When it comes to these kinds of things [hosting of tournaments], we have to invest big to improve facilities. And truth be spoken, our facilities are poor. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like because I'm a Ghanaian, I wouldn't tell the truth. Our facilities are poor. The teams don't have good facilities. I think that we are not taking football seriously. And it's killing the younger generations because that is where we all developed from,"** he said.

Without this critical pipeline of talent, Opare warned that the decline of the senior national team will only worsen, as the local ecosystem will simply fail to produce high-calibre players.

**"Otherwise, the Black Stars is going to keep on suffering, struggling for years to come because we are not going to get the product to supply. And that's the truth."

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Former Black Stars defender Daniel Opare has issued a brutal assessment of Ghana's sports infrastructure, warning that the country's subpar facilities are actively "killing" the development of the next generation of football talent.

Speaking on TV3's Mundial live, the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup winner voiced his deep frustration over the current state of youth football development and the nation's readiness to host major tournaments, such as the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations.

"When it comes to these kinds of things [hosting of tournaments], we have to invest big to improve facilities. And truth to be spoken, our facilities are poor. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like, because I'm a Ghanaian, I wouldn't tell the truth. Our facilities are poor. The teams don't have good facilities. I think that we are not taking football seriously. And it's killing the younger generations because that is where we all developed from," Opare said.

Opare, who rose to prominence during Ghana's historic youth runs, emphasized that the grassroots level is being severely neglected. He argued that without high-quality pitches, modern training gear, and proper academy structures, young players are denied the foundation that once allowed stars of his generation to transition to the global stage.

For Opare, the dream of hosting continental showpieces must be backed by massive, tangible investments rather than empty ambitions. His blunt critique points to a broader systemic issue plaguing Ghanaian football, where passion alone cannot sustain the sport if the nation hopes to revive its youth football status and compete consistently on the international stage.

"We are not taking football seriously," he concluded.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

The payment, announced in a statement issued by COCOBOD, covers all outstanding obligations to non-participating Cocoa Bill holders whose investments remained unpaid following the implementation of the DDEP in 2023.

According to the Board, the outstanding payments persisted because of the institution’s financial challenges in the aftermath of the debt restructuring exercise.

However, COCOBOD said it has now honoured the obligations in full, describing the move as part of its commitment to meeting all legitimate financial obligations.

The Board has advised beneficiaries to contact their respective fund managers to facilitate access to their payments.

COCOBOD also expressed appreciation to the affected investors for their patience and understanding during the period the payments remained outstanding.

The Board reiterated its commitment to restoring investor confidence, strengthening its financial position and ensuring the long-term sustainability of Ghana’s cocoa industry.

The settlement is expected to provide relief to affected investors while signalling COCOBOD’s efforts to improve its financial standing following the challenges associated with Ghana’s domestic debt restructuring programme.

For more  news, join The Chronicle Newspaper channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBSs55E50UqNPvSOm2z

The post COCOBOD Clears GH¢162m Debt Owed to Cocoa Bill Holders appeared first on The Ghanaian Chronicle.

Minister of Sports and Recreation Kofi Adams has thrown his weight behind a two-year contract extension for Black Stars head coach Carlos Queiroz, describing the reported decision as "appropriate" following Ghana's campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Queiroz was appointed in April on a four-month deal, just weeks before the World Cup. Despite the limited preparation time, the 73-year-old Portuguese tactician guided Ghana past the group stage for the first time since 2010, reaching the Round of 32 before a narrow 1-0 defeat to Colombia ended their run.

Speaking in an interview with 3FM, Adams made his position clear.

"It's appropriate if we have to give him a new contract. I would also join those who are calling for two years, so it would take you through to the 2027 AFCON so there can be some level of stability, he can focus very well, prepare the team," Adams said.

The minister emphasised that continuity is key after years of frequent coaching changes. He noted that Queiroz had proven his worth despite the short preparation time, describing Ghana's World Cup campaign as "a fair success" given the circumstances.

"He has proved that a coach matters," Adams said.

The new deal would keep Queiroz in charge through the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, where ending Ghana's 45-year wait for continental glory – since their last title in 1982 – would be his primary objective.

Ghana's 2027 AFCON qualification campaign begins on September 23 against Côte d'Ivoire. With the GFA and Sports Ministry aligned on retaining Queiroz, an official announcement is expected once final details are agreed.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.

Argentina have secured their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final after staging a dramatic comeback to defeat England 2-1 in a thrilling semi-final encounter.

The reigning champions showed their resilience after falling behind, scoring twice in the closing stages to overturn England’s advantage and set up a mouth-watering final clash against Spain.

The semi-final remained goalless for most of the opening period, with both sides creating opportunities without finding the breakthrough.

Argentina came close in the 39th minute when Enzo Fernandez unleashed a powerful long-range effort, but his strike narrowly missed the target and went over the crossbar.

After the restart, Julian Alvarez tested England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford in the 47th minute after reacting quickest to a loose ball inside the penalty area. However, Pickford stayed composed and made a comfortable save.

England eventually broke the deadlock in the 55th minute. Morgan Rogers delivered a precise lofted cross into the box, allowing Anthony Gordon to finish with a quick strike into the bottom-left corner to give England a 1-0 lead.

Argentina continued pushing for an equaliser and nearly levelled the score in the 69th minute, but Pickford produced an outstanding save to deny Nicolas Gonzalez’s low header after a dangerous cross.

Their persistence paid off in the 85th minute when Enzo Fernandez restored parity. The midfielder collected Lionel Messi’s pass on the edge of the box before firing a composed effort into the left side of the net to make it 1-1.

With extra time approaching, Argentina completed the turnaround in stoppage time. In the 90+2nd minute, Messi delivered another decisive contribution, sending a brilliant cross into the box for Lautaro Martinez to head into an empty net and seal a famous 2-1 victory.

The victory sends Argentina into the World Cup final, where they will face Spain in a highly anticipated showdown for football’s biggest prize.

Meanwhile, England will have to settle for a third-place play-off against France, who were eliminated in the other semi-final game against Spain on Tuesday night.

Send your news stories to [email protected] and via WhatsApp on +233 546310076.