Playmaker Baba Mahama has officially left Asante Kotoko, after a mutual agreement was reached to terminate his contract on Thursday, Footy-Ghana.com can reveal.
The 21-year-old, who arrived from Techiman City when the side suffered relegation to Division One after the 2015/16 season, was halfway through his three-year contract with the Porcupine Warriors.
In his debut season – the 2016/17 campaign, he made a total 17 outings in the Kotoko shirt – 13 in the league with three goals to his name as well as 4 games in the MTN FA Cup title-winning campaign.
While preparing for the ongoing season, Baba Mahama confessed that on a personal level, he underperformed having arrived as one of the shining stars from the previous campaign.
“Admittedly I didn’t play to my utmost best last season.
“That was not my best form. But I can hit top form, and I look forward to exactly that next season [ongoing 2017/18]. I’m certain that fans would see a much improved game from me.
“My target for last season was to become a key figure in the team and contribute hugely to its trophy haul. I didn’t do too badly but l think that I could have done better,” the attacker said in an interview in December 2017.
After featuring in the two games of the Porcupines’ Caf Confederation Cup outing in February this year, Baba Mahama failed to hold down a regular place in the ongoing 2017/18 ZylofonCash Premier League, featuring in only three league games (twice from the bench) under coach Paa Kwesi Fabin.
Baba Mahama emerged as a candidate for the exit at the time Kotoko were announcing freeing some players from their contracts while others were on the transfer list. The player, reliable sources rejected a letter prepared for him insisting he was up to it in claiming a starting berth.
Following a few consultations, the club ‘briefly’ withdrew the letter but Footy-Ghana.com understands that following further reviews, Kotoko resolved again that Baba Mahama needed to get playing time elsewhere either on loan for the rest of the season or on outright sale.
But the player and his management have succeeded in negotiating a mutual contract termination instead thereby losing all his entitlement in the one-and-half years left on his deal in exchange of a free agent status.
