Ghana Premier League club Accra Hearts of Oak has had its transfer ban officially lifted after settling an outstanding debt to former player Francis Adjetey, clearing the final obstacle to conducting transfer business ahead of the 2025/2026 season.
The payment, made on July 17, follows a directive from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which required the club to pay GHS106,477.42 plus 5% annual interest from September 2023 and an additional $1,250 in legal costs. In total, over GHS129,000 was transferred to Adjetey, whose legal representatives had petitioned the Ghana Football Association (GFA) earlier this month to enforce the ban.
The GFA initially imposed the restriction after Hearts missed a July 7 deadline to comply with the CAS ruling. The ban barred the club from registering new players locally and internationally. Under GFA regulations, such bans are lifted automatically upon fulfillment of financial obligations.
The club had previously attempted to negotiate a staggered payment schedule, but those efforts failed, prompting a full settlement last week.
This marks the second financial dispute resolved by the club in recent weeks. In early July, Hearts of Oak paid $38,000 to New Edubiase United to clear a separate debt related to the transfer of midfielder Salim Adams—another case that had triggered a temporary transfer ban.
While the club is now cleared to resume player signings, additional legal and financial risks remain. Reports indicate that FIFA has ordered Hearts to pay $150,000 to former Technical Director René Hiddink following a contractual dispute. Failure to comply could expose the club to a new round of sanctions, including another transfer embargo.
With the 2025/26 league campaign on the horizon, the club faces a critical window to rebuild and retool. But fiscal discipline may now be as crucial as squad depth in determining its competitiveness.
