Former Asante Kotoko coach Abdul Malik Jabir has rued Asamoah Gyan's decision to join Legon Cities over the Porcupine Warriors.

Gyan joined Cities on a one-year deal last week, marking his return to the Ghana Premier League (GPL) for the first time since leaving for Italian Serie A side Udinese in 2003.

Before sealing his transfer to the Royals, the 34-year-old was heavily linked to Kotoko, whom he holds a personal desire to represent before bowing out of active football.

Until last December, Legon were known as Wa All Stars.

“Gyan’s comeback is good for the local league but I wish he had joined Kotoko because I have seen his heart is with Kotoko but maybe we didn’t have money to take him," Jabir told Luv FM.

"If he had come to Kotoko, he will have had things much easier than going to struggle in that small team.

"They [Legon] are now struggling to come up because it is a new team. It’s not their fault; they are a new side struggling to make it.

"So, it means he [Gyan] will struggle over there more than if he had come to Kotoko."

Gyan was without a club for nine months. His last stint - a short-term deal with Indian Super League side NorthEast United - ended in January.

"I have said on countless occasions that I have Kotoko at heart. I have also said I will play for them before I retire from the game," the former Sunderland forward told Adom TV.

"As I’m without a club, there were speculations that the deal has been finalised but as a professional football player, we don’t deal like that.

“I have made it known that I will play for them but at least we have to go through processes because I’m still a professional footballer.

"I don’t want people to downgrade the Ghanaian league. At times people even get it wrong [by their assumption] that if a player travels abroad, then he then becomes a professional footballer. But they don’t know that the Ghana league is professional.

“Kotoko should do everything professional although I have said I will play for them. I can't just stand up and say I’m going to play for the club. I’m available so when they are ready, we have to sit down and go through whatever is involved in terms of signing a contract.”

In his previous and only GPL spell, Gyan netted 10 goals for Liberty Professionals in 2003.