Asante Kotoko CEO, Nana Yaw Amponsah has dismissed rumours that Fabio Gama’s departure from the Kumasi-based club was due to his wage demands.
The 29-year-old’s two-year spell at Kotoko came to an end after helping them to win the Ghana Premier League last season.
Following the departure of the Brazilian midfielder, speculations arose suggesting that he left due to low salary at Asante Kotoko, and the club’s inability to meet his financial demands.
Nana Yaw Amponsah, however, speaking in an interview with Wontumi TV highlighted the club’s ex-coach Prosper Narteh Ogum’s decision to drop Gama for Richmond Lamptey and Emmanuel Keyekeh as the “main” reason behind the Brazilian’s exit.
“Fabio Game is the most professional player I have ever worked with. At a point, he was frustrated because he was not playing enough games and he was losing his position to Lamptey and Prosper Ogum preferred Lamptey at the No.10 role.
“Fabio Game came to me weeping and said he can’t continue to play for the club again,” Nana Yaw Amponsah said.
“We were also surprised when we saw Keyekeh playing ahead of Gama. Keyekeh is a good player but he wasn’t performing at that time but the coach can decide to drop you whether you are Ronaldo or Messi so far as he is winning.
“Gama knew he wasn’t the favorite of the coach and then staying and not playing was an issue for him. From what I understand, the offer he got elsewhere was not something we could match.
“He was signed in October 2020 and his contract was supposed to expire in October 2022 but he wanted us to save money rather than staying till the end of his contract.
“That’s why he told us to let him go in June as a free agent. That remaining four months was going to cause us $16,000. His salary was $4,000. He is the highest paid player ever since I came to Kotoko because of where he came from. Don’t forget that we signed him from Sweden,” says Nana Yaw Amponsah.
Fabio Gama in his two-year stint with Asante Kotoko scored five goals in 48 appearances.
Following an impressive debut season in which he scored four goals in 28 Ghana Premier League games, the attacking midfielder made 20 appearances in the 2021/22 season.
He now plays for Al-Muharraq in the Bahrani League. He joined them in a two-year deal after leaving the Ghanaian giants in June 2022.
