Soccer News of Wednesday, 17 February 2016

Source: ghanasoccernet.com

Akaminko to join MLS side Real Salt Lake

Ghana defender Jerry Akaminko Ghana defender Jerry Akaminko

Ghana defender Jerry Akaminko has agreed a deal to join American top-flight side Real Salt Lake after hugely impressing on a one-week trial with the MLS club, GHANAsoccernet.com can exclusively reveal.

The 27-year-old reached the deal on Tuesday afternoon after Real Salt Lake tabled an offer after the Ghana international defender excelled in two friendly matches he played for the club since joining them last week.

Akaminko will undergo a medical latest by Thursday before the deal is sealed, Ghana's leading football news outfit can exclusively reveal.

The financial detail of the deal was not disclosed according MLS regulations.

Akaminko arrived in the USA last week after his proposed move to Turkish giants Besiktas fell through because of the law in the country preventing clubs from signing free agents outside the transfer window.

He played two friendly matches for the club and his performances forced the club to give him an offer, fearing that other rivals sides could swoop for the experienced centre-back.

The deal was brokered by UK-based super agent Ibrahim Sana who has helped several top Ghanaian players like Daniel Opare to seal moves to the German Bundesliga side Augsburg.

Akaminko cancelled his contract with Turkish side Eskisehirspor last month over unpaid wages despite having two years left on his deal which was supposed to end in June 2018.

He will fight his case before FIFA as reports that he left the Turkish side over fitness concerns have turned out not to be true.

The Ghana defender has fully recovered from the injury he suffered just hours before Ghana named it final World Cup squad for the 2014 World Cup.

The centre-back has regained his form since suffering the knee injury last May in a Ghana pre-2014 FIFA World Cup friendly against the Netherlands.

Akaminko sat out the entire 2014/2015 season without kicking a ball as he went through rehabilitation.

Since recovering from the injury he has regained his top form which looks to have led his decision to leave Eskisehirspor after he played many matches for them but was left unpaid.

Akaminko started his Turkey in adventure in the 2008-2009 season with Orduspor before switching to Manisaspor from where he was signed by Eskisehirspor in the summer of 2012 for 1 million 350 thousand Euros.