Hearts to tie down five top stars

Crisis-hit Ghanaian powerhouse Hearts of Oak are desperate to avoid a repeat of the Gilbert Fiamenyo debacle and tie down FIVE key players beyond next season, GHANAsoccernet.com can report.

GHANAsoccernet.com can reveal the Phobians are determined to agree deals for captain Thomas Abbey, striker Kwame Kizito and defenders Vincent Atinga and Fatawu Mohammed as well as midfielder Leonard Tawiah.

The contracts of the five key players have run out- which means they can walk out of the club for free.

Ghana's leading football website, GHANAsoccernet.com can reveal the capital-based side are desperate to tie down the players to fresh contracts or risk losing them for free.

They are trying to persuade their star players to sign new deals before the registration of players for the 2017/18 season starts on November 29.

The club's spokesman Kwame Opare Addo has confirmed they are trying to renew deals for the players.

"Atinga, Thomas Abbey, Kizito, Fatawu as well as Leonard Tawiah are some of the players whose contracts have expired," he said

"These are players who have contributed their quota to the team. Before we got to this stage, officials took the bold initiate to start negotiations.

"We have engaged them long, long ago for contract extension before the league ended."

However, Hearts have been unsuccessful in their bid to entice them to a new contract with a number of foreign clubs believed to be lurking to pounce.

There will be no shortage of offers for the players as they will leave on a free transfer.

Abbey and Atingah, in particular, have been the mainstay for the Phobians this season, contributing significantly to the improved form of the former African champions.

Abbey notched 14 goals to emerge the club's top scorer and helped Ghana to clinch the WAFU Cup of Nations on home soil.

Atingah has been ubiquitous for both club and country, chalking a remarkable piece by helping the West Africans to win the regional tournament this year.