Hearts of Oak are set to lose key striker Joseph Esso who has rejected fresh contract terms from the former African champions, according to Sunyani-based Nimdee FM.

Hearts have proposed a USD$520.00 a month salary and a yearly earning of USD$5,200.00 for a proposed three-year period. Meanwhile Hearts intend to spread the yearly earning to cover for monthly salary in addition to the USD$520.00 over the period of the deal meaning the 23-year-old will earn around USD$1000 a month.

But, the powerful center forward has categorically told the Hearts of Oak hierarchy he will not commit himself to a new deal at the club unless his demand for USD$27,000 as renewal fee is met with a monthly salary of USD$870.00.

According to Nimdee FM’s Head of Sports Richard Ntow Gyan who is endowed with deep-seated Hearts of Oak sources the parties have taken entrenched positions on the matter with the player telling his close associates he is unprepared to back down on his offer while Hearts are unwilling to up their offer.

Information picked up by Ghana Sports Online indicate that Esso wants to be at the same level in terms of earnings with newly signed striker Abednego Tetteh who earns GHC 5,000 a month.

Hearts signed Esso as a free agent after his contract with Ebusua Dwarfs ran out in 2018 winter and paid him a whopping sum of GHC 100,000 as signing on fee with a monthly salary of GHC1,500.

According to Ghana Sports Online checks at Hearts the Phobians opened negotiations with the striker in January 2020 when he had a year left on his contract but the parties have failed to reach a deal.

Hearts seems to be preparing for a future without the striker as they have signed forward Isaac Mensah from second-tier side Nkoranza Warriors. Mensah becomes the latest addition to the club’s promising attack which already boost of Abednego Tetteh, Kofi Kordzi, Daniel Barnie, Eric Dizan and Kwadwo Obeng Junior.