Almost all the top players of Hearts have signed their Africa Cup cards with the exception of Emmanuel Osei Kuffuor. A source close to the management team of the club hinted the Africa Sports, an private sports bi-weekly, that Kuffuor was still keen on playing professional football abroad for the 2002 season, hence his reluctance to sign the Africa card.

Kuffuor has already had several trials in Europe and America. So far his Benfica ‘connection’ appears to be the strongest. Nothing is sealed, though.

Some Hearts faithfuls are apprehensive of the fact that now that Kuffuor’s contract has run out with Hearts, even if he fails to secure a contract outside Ghana, he could likely be on his way to Kumasi to don the red shirt, a shirt he has repeatedly said he would love to don before his death.