Behind Afriyie Barnieh’s protracted move to FC Zurich

“Hello Zurich fans I’m Daniel Afriyie Barnieh, striker for Zurich, I can’t wait to see my team mates and help the team progress.” 

Words from the Black Stars forward who was given sometime off preparatory duties for the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) in Algeria to complete his move from Ghana Premier League giants Hearts of Oak to Switzerland.

It brings to an end a transfer that has been long and winding. Arguably Hearts of Oak’s biggest asset and by far the most attractive outfield player in Ghana at the moment, Afriyie’s ambition to move on to bigger things after tasting the 2022 World Cup, and the Club’s hopes of making some profit off their most prized asset meant a tug-of-war.

Hearts have, for over a decade, have been plagued by star players who leave the club for free, and they did not want a repeat. Thankfully it’s over, with both parties happy.

This is the story.

“Most attractive player in Ghana” tag well deserved 

Barnieh has not been the main man for Hearts of Oak in his three year stay in Accra but has been there whenever the Club, fans and teammates have needed him the most. The 21-year-old forward shone when the lights were brightest and put on his best show while A- list audiences were most concerned. He was instrumental during the club’s Ghana Premier League and MTN FA Cup triumphs at the end of the 2020/21 season. 

Barnieh scored the only goal in the crucial season decider against rivals Asante Kotoko and helped the Phobians to a first title in 11 years.
In the 2021/2022 football season Afriyie found the back of the net 10 times, including decisive goals in the President’s Cup victory, at the expense of Asante Kotoko, and another significant goal in the MTN FA Cup conquest against Bechem United at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

He was also effective for Ghana’s youth national teams having won the 2021 U-20 AFCON in Mauritius, helped the Black Meteors to qualify for the CAF U-23 Afcon which serves as a qualifier for the 2024 Olympics. He has scored more than half of the goals that qualified Ghana to the upcoming African Nations Championships – the first time in 10 years the country makes it to the tournament.

The plaudits have been loud and truly deserved after consistent performances for the national teams and one of the biggest Clubs in Ghana. Becoming a main feature any time big games were on made him the talk of town, but the best was to come.

Black Stars affair to good effect

After playing for the U-20, U-23 and Black Galaxies teams, the only thing Barnieh needed to complete his national team CV was the Black Stars itself.

In August 2021, he got his maiden call-up to the team by former Black Stars Boss Charles ‘CK’ Akonnor ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and South Africa. There was no involvement for him, but it certainly was not the last encounter with the senior national team.

Otto Addo, who took over as Black Stars coach from Milovan Rajevac in February 2022, named Barnieh in his 33-man squad for the 2023 AFCON qualifiers and Kirin Cup assignments. This was in May. 

In September, Barnieh was back with the Black Stars, this time for the pre-2022 World Cup friendlies against Brazil and Nicaragua. He did not see a minute of action. Against the odds, Afriyie was named in Ghana’s final 2022 FIFA World Cup squad by Otto Addo and was given one chance against Switzerland in the team’s last friendly before Qatar kicked off.

It was all he needed, as he dazzled in Abu Dhabi as one of the team’s best performers. The player did not feature in any of the three group games in Qatar but by now his stock had risen — and a move from Hearts of Oak was looming. But the path to Switzerland won’t be as smooth as he imagined.

Hearts of Oak determined to prevent déjà vu

In the last decade, the Phobians have let their top players either leave for free or have earned very little from sales. This has been largely because of how the Ghana giants have managed the contract renewals. Top players like Joseph Essoh, Emmanuel Nettey, Benjamin Afutu, Thomas Abbey, Winful Cobinnah all left without the Club getting much. And this time, the club were ready for the signs that Barnieh was leaving.

Even before offers started flying in for their star forward, club board member Dr Nyaho Nyaho Tamakloe sounded the warning in an interview with me after last season’s MTN FA Cup triumph.

“Barnieh is a good footballer. He’s been with us since he played at the U-20, his stock definitely will rise. It will depend on the offer which will be given and I’m sure management will look at the offer. If it’s attractive, then we’ll go for it.” 

Strong words, but they unfortunately lacked the accompanying action to make it a real threat. At the time of the interview (July 2022), Barnieh had five (5) months left on his running three year contract and renewal talks had started. From board members Alhaji Akanbi , Dr Tamakloe and Vincent Sowah Odotei to Board Chairman Togbe Afede IXV, meetings were held weekly with the aim of convincing Barnieh to sign a new deal before the CAF Confederation Cup assignments commenced .

The campaign to get the Hearts of Oak forward re-commit to the club appeared to be slightly behind schedule because potential suitors had realized Barnieh could go for free at the end of December and towed that line of thinking in all initial offers on the table. Hearts of Oak were once again in a bad place regarding another potentially huge player transfer. 

Despite the intense talks to get Afriyie to pen a new two year deal, the forward through his agent made it clear that a renewal was off the table and the client was willing to run down his contract in hope of potential deals abroad. Barnieh’s commitments with the Black Galaxies and Black Stars took him away and that made possible efforts to get him rescind his decision even more difficult.

Clubs including MLS side Cincinnati, Spanish Club Leganes, and Viking FK in Norway amongst others had all tabled offers but were holding out for a free deal when Barnieh’s contract run out in December. The World Cup was over for Ghana in a week and it meant time was literally running out for Hearts of Oak to get anything for a talent they gave a huge platform to flourish. 

The CHAN dilemma

Afriyie was a key member of the Black Galaxies squad that qualified for the 2023 African Nations Championship scheduled to take place in Algeria. He converted one of five penalties that gave Ghana a 5-4 victory at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja but the forward could only do so while contracted to Hearts in Ghana.

The African Nations Championship is a biennial football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) exclusively featuring players from the respective national championships. Unlike the African Cup of Nations, the competing national teams must be composed of players playing in their domestic leagues. For example, a Moroccan player is only eligible to play for the Morocco national team if he is playing for a Moroccan club.

So quite simply, Barnieh needed an extension of his contract with Hearts of Oak to enable him compete at the tournament, sign for another Ghana Premier League side for the period or miss the competition in its entirely. Dreams FC got wind of the situation and offered to sign on Barnieh for the period so he would be eligible to play for Black Galaxies after which he would leave the shores of Ghana. Hearts of Oak were at this time looking to sign Barnieh for a longer period which will allay their fears of missing out on funds for a player who was keen on leaving for a free in weeks. 

Dreams Fc backed by the Ghana FA were keen too because Barnieh missing out the competition will mean a huge loss for Coach Annor Walker and would diminish Ghana’s chances at the compmetition. Dreams Fc’s attempt was charged down with Hearts of oak weary about a possible repeat of “a scenario” that saw their forward Joseph Essoh leave on a free to the Dawu side and subsequently to Algeria . 
Hearts of Oak’s initial 2 year extension offer on the table was rejected by Barnieh’s representatives and Zurich Fc. Hearts of Oak Board gave in at last and accepted to extend Afriyie’s contract to three months which means a percentage of the 150,000euros transfer fee for the Phobians and the much needed green light for Black Galaxies forward to participate in the upcoming CHAN.

Afriyie Barnieh to the World

Barnieh was given some time off in the Black Galaxies camp, where he had been studying documents to travel to Switzerland for the official unveiling. The Accra Hearts of Oak forward will earn a reported 12000 euros before tax monthly and is already excited about joining fellow Black Stars team mates Ati Zigi and Musah Nuhu in the Swiss league . 

Hearts of Oak at least have some funds at last and Afriyie Barnieh his freedom to shine on the continent once again and on a world stage prove doubters wrong.

Source: Ghana News