Chief Executive Officer of Hearts of Oak, Fredrick Moore has disclosed that former striker Joseph Esso was reluctant in extending his stay with the Ghanaian giants.

According to Fredrick Moore, the Phobians were eager to tie the player down with a new deal.

However, Esso wanted to leave and no amount of persuasion will convince him to stay.

"When we met, the technical team, the communication team was there. I chaired that meeting. That was the day we were releasing the players that we think we didn't want to count on them again,'he told Ashaiman TV.

'That was the same day we met Esso. His contract has ended. The only thing we could do was to extend it for him to stay and if the player says he want leave it as it is, what else do I need to explain to people," he added.

The Rainbow club released five players including right back Christopher Bonney, Abuabakar Traore, Benjamin Agyare and Bernard Arthur.

"I've seen so many things on social media, I can't go round and try to answer everything on social media. Yesterday, I read about a player who has traveled back from abroad said he's negotiating with me for the last few months and I haven't accepted, let me tell you, I've never met the player," said Mr. Moore.

"Today I heard Ashgold is negotiating with one of our players. Ashgold have not written any letter to us regarding our player. In management, what I have to look at are the goals you want to fulfil. If I spend all my time talking about the past, we'll never achieve our goals"

"We also heard people saying every year players force their ways out from the club. If I ask you, the year before, how many players left, you wouldn't be able to tell me."