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Clubs complete late business ahead of new GPL season
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With the 2026/27 Ghana Premier League season set to kick off on September 4, clubs have continued to fine-tune their squads, with a number of late additions and free-agent deals shaping up ahead of the new campaign.
From established Premier League sides such as Asante Kotoko, Hearts of Oak, Medeama, Aduana FC, FC Samartex and Berekum Chelsea to ambitious lower-tier clubs, there has been significant movement in the transfer market.
Here is a rundown of the notable deals involving Ghana Premier League clubs:
Medeama SC strengthen across the pitch
Medeama have been among the busiest clubs, adding depth in midfield, defence and attack. The Mauve and Yellows have brought in Etse Dogli from Heart of Lions on a three-year deal, while Emmanuel Boateng arrives from Eleven Wonders on a two-year contract. Dominic Frimpong, a free agent, has also joined to bolster the attack on a three-year deal. Other additions include Usman Safianu, Abdul Rahman Yaya, Emmanuel Annor from Nations FC, and winger Emmanuel Fobi, who arrives from Georgia’s Dila Gori on a three-year deal.
Medeama have also recruited Issah Ibrahim from Latvia, Sudanese goalkeeper Monged Abuzaid Salman, midfielder Blessing Kwabena Dwamena, Jelillu Osman from New Edubiase, Emmanuel Anokye from Sporting Club Accra, and right-back Ebenezer Adade from Dreams FC.
Port City FC add experience and attacking options
Port City have also been active, bringing in several players to strengthen their squad. Kwabena Adu Meider and Francis Gyetuah arrive as free agents, while Stephen Diyou joins from Hohoe United.
The club have also secured Gideon Waja from WAFA, Ishak Suraj from Lebanese side Al Ahly, free-agent defender Samuel Gyimah, goalkeeper Daniel Amissah on a two-year deal, and Elliot Affotey from Heart of Lions on a three-year contract. Daniel Osei Snr., a defensive midfielder from Hohoe United, completes another addition to the squad.
Hearts of Oak bring in several young talents
Hearts of Oak have invested heavily in young players, including a number of long-term deals. Abdul Aziz arrives from Swedru All Blacks on a three-year deal, while free agent Ebenezer Amoh joins on a two-year contract. The Phobians have also secured Rockson Kyeremeh and centre-back Manuel Osei Djan from PAC Academy, both on five-year contracts.
Other arrivals include Caleb Koranteng from Victory Club Warriors, Alex Banso from Namoro FC, free-agent right-back Prince Amevor, goalkeeper Vicente Anane, Ivorian forward Mamadou Kader Kourouma, and free-agent defensive midfielder Dominic Nsobila.
Swedru All Blacks continue recruitment drive
Swedru All Blacks have added a sizeable group of players. Among them are Mohammed Musah Salifu from Tamale City, David Lartey from Dreams Chasers, Prince Arthur and Kelvin Ampoful from Nations FC, and winger Samuel Osei Kofi from Nsuopun Fidelity.
Free agent Faisal Chawetey, forward Vincent Baah Jnr from Tema Faith, centre-back Michael Abrokwa from Nations FC, forward John Ahuma Ocansey, midfielder Godfred Yartey from Cheetah FC, winger Andy Koramoah from Auroras, right-back Kojo Quansah from Samartex, and defender Latif Blessing from Cheetah FC have also joined.
Samartex add four
FC Samartex have strengthened with four additions. Ebenezer Okrah and Prince Affum arrive from Sefwi All Stars, while Joshua Fuseini joins from Golden Kick. Meshack Adjetey Sowah also arrives from Vision FC on a three-year deal.
Aduana FC bolster defence and attack
Aduana FC have brought in several players, including free agent Shawkan Hunalf Mohammed, defensive midfielder Samuel Tenedu from Berekum Chelsea, and centre-back Boa-At Regain from Bechem United. They have also signed free agent Stephen Amankona, right-back Abdul Latif Mohammed from Victory Club Warriors, winger Emmanuel Abban from Bechem United, Zakaria Fuseini from Techiman Liberty Youth, and free-agent left-back Bismark Anim on a two-year deal.
AshantiGold make international additions
FC Ashantigold have recruited from both Ghana and abroad. Raphael Kodjo Etchonou arrives from ESA Academy in Togo, while Burkina Faso defender Ben Yamine Nassirou Kabore joins from Etoile Filante. The club have also signed free-agent right-back Kamal Suraje on a three-year deal and goalkeeper Kwaku Musah, also on a three-year contract.
Other additions include Fatao Seidu, Sirinu Huzaifah from Skyy FC, Saddick Ibrahim Abubakar from Skyy, Ishmael Acquah from Skyy, William Addo from Unity FC, free-agent winger Alhassan Benny, and goalkeeper Thomas Kwabena Osei from Heart of Lions.
Gold Stars add attacking firepower
Gold Stars have brought in Nicholas Amekpewu from Elmina Sharks on a three-year deal, while centre-back Claude Shooting Bortey arrives as a free agent. They have also signed Kwame Opoku, another free agent, on a two-year deal.
Heart of Lions build new-look squad
Heart of Lions have also been busy, with several free-agent signings. Francis Odoom from Hohoe United joins on a two-year deal, alongside centre-back Abdul Jalilu, goalkeeper Edmund Wireko, winger William Oduro, centre-back Pius Baffuor, winger Sena Ati, and forward Mustapha Yakubu. Stephen Afoakwa from Faith Football Academy is another addition.
Other notable movements
Berekum Chelsea have recruited forward Jamal Haruna on a three-year deal, while Diawisie Taylor, Awuah Dramani, Chyereme Shadirac, Fuseini Zakaria, goalkeeper Zulka Massawudu, and Augustine Boakye have also joined.
At Asante Kotoko SC, goalkeeper Danlad Ibrahim arrives on a two-year deal, while the Porcupine Warriors have also added Emmanuel Mamah, Ivorian centre-back Koffi Marius Ange Bini, free agent Isaac Opoku Agyemang, Burkina Faso midfielder Abdoul Kader Tarnagda, Cameroonian midfielder Solomon Nsor Asaah, Moroccan goalkeeper Abdel Wadie Mourad, and Albanian defender Umar Ali from Partizani.
Karela United have signed Wisdom Jonas Manyina from RTU on a three-year deal, alongside Frank Ackom from Nsuopun Fidelity, Iddi Mahfuz, Edmund Afurapoe from Eleven Wonders, goalkeeper Kwaku Musah, Angel Ewulla, Collins Ntiful from Okwawu United, Issah Abdul Basit from Golden Warriors, forward Mohammed Alhassan Mankuyeli, Ebenezer Amegah from Hohoe United, and free-agent forward Prince Opoku Agyemang. Vision FC have also added Kwadwo Boamah from Hohoe United and Faruk Mohammed from Nations FC.
The final preparations begin
With the transfer deadline now passed and the Ghana Premier League scheduled to begin on September 4, attention will turn from recruitment to preparation.
The sheer volume of movement suggests that several clubs will enter the new campaign with significantly different squads. For coaches, the immediate challenge will be turning these new arrivals into cohesive teams before the opening whistle of the new Premier League season.
If there is a club Kumasi Asante Kotoko would want to avoid, definitely it would be Kpando Heart of Lions, and not Hearts of Oak.
Kotoko and Hearts have sold to soccer fans some of the electrifying football atmosphere to underline their age-long rivalry.
Despite their stature in Ghana football, however, the lions from Kpando have been the most difficult and toughest opponents for the Porcupine Warriors.
Clashes between Kotoko and Hearts have produced mixed outcomes. It remains one of the few games which outcomes can be very challenging to predict.
But the story with Heart of Lions is straightforward. It hands them the dominance card over Kotoko; making them favourites most of the time when they are paired together.
Tomorrow at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, the Porcupine Warriors would slug it out in their Matchday 2 encounter of the Ghana Premier League (GPL) with Heart of Lions.
Asante Kotoko and Heart of Lions have faced each other in 12 recorded official head-to-head matches, with Heart of Lions holding the upper hand.
They boast six wins, and two for Asante Kotoko, with the rest of the four ending in draws.
As recent as the last three years, Kotoko has been winless in their last six games, registering three draws with the Lions winning three.
This clearly suggests that the Porcupine Warriors would be engaged in another battle of their lives when they welcome Heart of Lions to the Baba Yara Stadium, a venue that has proven to be a comfortable hunting ground for the visitors.
Coming from a 1-1 draw against Debibi United on Matchday 1 and a Democracy Cup victory over Hearts of Oak, Kotoko must be ready to clip the claws of the deadly Lions if they hope to tame them to halt that trend.
The Bibiani Dun’s Park is also expected to be full of fireworks as GoldStars welcome Hearts of Oak.
It will be one that will draw the fans in the area as both sides prepare the game with different agenda. While Hearts emerged 4-0 conquerors of Berekum Chelsea in Accra, GoldStars suffered a 1-0 loss to Bechem United.
The quest to consolidate the week one gains or to bounce back from defeat would conspire to make the game a mouthwatering one.
Swedru All Blacks would also engage Debibi United at the Swedru Stadium while Berekum Chelsea lock horns with Dreams FC at the Golden City Park and Karela against Bechem United.
At the Aliu Mahama Stadium, Karela United will face Bechem United; Young Apostles versus Basake Holy Stars at the Wenchi Stadium while Aduana FC take on Sarmatex.
The round will commence today with a fierce tie between FC Ashantigold versus Vision FC.
By Andrew Nortey
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When the Greater Accra Region emerged winners of the 35th Inter-Regional Basic Schools Netball Competition at the University of Ghana, Legon, one name stood out above the celebrations: Miss Lilly Akutu Zotorvie, a young shooter from the rural community of Mangoase in the Ada West District.
The Junior High School student of Englishie-Kenya D/A Basic School was the tournament’s standout scorer, netting an astonishing 132 goals in five matches for Team Greater Accra.
That translates into an average of 26.4 goals per match, a remarkable scoring record that has attracted attention from spectators and netball enthusiasts at the competition.
For Miss Zotorvie, however, the impressive statistics tell only part of the story; behind the goals is the journey of a young girl from Mangoase, a community outside Ghana’s major sporting centres, whose talent was discovered at a local netball clinic and gradually nurtured into the regional school competition.
She was reportedly spotted by Mr Ebenezer Kisseh, a journalist and coach, who recognised her potential during a netball clinic.
What could have remained an ordinary community sporting activity instead became the beginning of a promising journey for the young player.
Her performance subsequently earned her an opportunity to compete in the Greater Accra Super Zonal Games, where she impressed enough to progress to the regional level.
At the 35th Inter-Regional Basic Schools Netball Competition, she converted that opportunity into an outstanding individual performance, combining precision, consistency and confidence in front of the post.
Her exploits have also brought renewed attention to the pool of sporting talent that exists in communities far from Ghana’s traditional sporting centres.
For a young player from Mangoase, the progression from a local netball clinic to representing Greater Accra at an inter-regional competition demonstrates the importance of early talent identification and sustained opportunities for development.
Miss Zutorvie’s emergence also presents a reminder that some of Ghana’s promising sporting talents might be found in schools and communities where access to structured training and competitive opportunities remains limited.
Now, after scoring 132 goals in five matches and helping Greater Accra claim the inter-regional title, the young shooter has given coaches, sports administrators and talent scouts another reason to look beyond the country’s major sporting centres.
As Greater Accra celebrates its victory, her performance is likely to remain one of the most memorable individual highlights of the competition – and perhaps the beginning of a much bigger sporting journey for the Ada youngster. -GNA
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