Accra, June 8, GNA - The Management of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club has contested claims by Kumasi Asante Kotoko Football Club that its player, Dan Quaye is out of contract and hence Kotoko are requesting his release to enable them register the player into their fold.

A statement signed by Mr Ashford Tettey Oku, Administrative Manager of the Club copied to the GNA Sports Desk acknowledged the receipt of a fax from Kotoko on June 6, but said the claim of Kotoko that Dan Quaye has served his contract with Hearts is false. The statement said in view of the fact that the player still has a contract with Hearts, they cannot agree to the request for negotiation and subsequent release of the player.

Hearts on Tuesday suspended Dan Quaye for six months with immediate effect for breach of contract and for going against the code of conduct of the Club. Mr Randy Abbey, a management of Hearts speaking on an Accra Radio station, "Radio Gold" on Wednesday said Dan Quaye is their player and they have been paying him his salary and training allowances for all this while even though he has been injured.

The Hearts management member said for Dan Quaye to go on air in Kumasi to twist issues with the view of tarnishing the image of Hearts is not acceptable, hence the decision by the management to suspend him for six months. He said Dan Quaye continuous to be a player of Hearts but that no impediment would be put in his way if he wants to move to another club but the right channel should be used.

Quaye joined Hearts of Oak from Accra Great Olympics in 1999 after featuring for the Black Starlets that placed second in the World Under-17 tournament in Egypt. Reports have it that Quaye whose contract with Hearts expired on March 1, has written to the club requesting them to release his card to rival side, Asante Kotoko.

According to sources close to the GNA Sports, Hearts had earlier agreed on a new three-year contract worth 170 million cedis with the player after the expiration of his contract. The source said even though the stalwart player initially agreed to the deal, he later came back demanding three hundred million cedis, an amount the Club felt was too much. Dan Quaye during his stay with Hearts played an instrumental role towards the Club's win of the CAF Champions League trophy in 2000 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2005. He also won six league and two FA Cup trophies with Hearts.