Ghana's player of the year Emmanuel Osei Kuffour will travel to the United States shortly for an operation, after failing a medical in the Ukraine while on trials with Shakhtar Donetsk. Kuffour's current club Hearts of Oak say the player's condition is not critical, after he was diagnosed with a large, solitary gallstone, following an ultrasonogram of the abdomen.

Hearts board secretary Ernest Thompson said the operation will cost US$10,000 but the player will receive the treatment free of charge.

Thompson said: "Recuperation after the operation is short. Kuffour will be out of football between two weeks and a month before he can resume his career normally.

"There is no cause for alarm. Kuffour is symptomatic. Some people go through life with gallstones, but never develop any symptoms."

Kuffour returned home from the Ukraine last Wednesday disappointed, as no word has surfaced concerning whether he would be signed by the Ukrainian side after the operation. Transfer uncertain
However, Hearts officials are optimistic that the transfer will go ahead, after the top scorer of the 2000 Champions League plays in the World Club Championship in Spain later this year.
It is still unclear whether Kuffour will be allowed to play for Hearts against Etoile du Congo when the African champions open the defence of their title in Kumasi on Sunday.
But Kuffour would certainly miss some crucial African Nations Cup and World Cup qualifying matches with the Black Stars of Ghana if he travels to the USA soon.
Kuffour becomes the latest player from Hearts to fail a medical prior to a transfer.
A former Hearts midfielder Stephen Appiah had his transfer from Udinese to Parma frozen in 1999, after he tested positive for hepatitis B.
He was flown to the United States for treatment and his transfer to Parma was completed afterwards.