CAF Confederation Cup champions TP Mazembe have opted against extending the contract of Ghana international Solomon Asante, Footy-Ghana sources exclusively reveal. The former Berekum Chelsea attacker will not start the new Congo Ligue 1 season with the five-time Champions league winners which kicks off in three weeks. Asante, 27, joined Mazembe from Berekum Chelsea in 2013 and leaves after four successful years in Congo.

He was part of a hugely successful Mazembe side which won the Caf Champions league (2015), Caf Confederation Cup (2016), 2 Congolese league titles, and a Caf Super Cup title in 2016.

Asante’s release follows the earlier release of countryman Gladson Awako who has now moved to the USA. Mazembe still has two Ghanaian players in their squad with former Kotoko players Yaw Frimpong and Daniel Nii Adjei set to start the new campaign with Les Corbeaux.

He was left on the bench as the Lumumbashi side secured an important 1-2 away win against Sudanese side Hilal Obayed in the quarter final of the Caf Confederation Cup on Saturday.