AFC Leopards head coach Tom Juma is targeting at least eight players during the current transfer window.
This follows the lifting of a transfer ban imposed on the club by Fifa for failure to pay their former employees including immediate former coach Patrick Aussems.
In a statement, the club said: “We are pleased to inform you that after a series of constructive discussions between club management and, our former coach, Patrick Aussems, the parties have reached an amicable solution to the contract dispute.”
As a result, the player registration ban previously imposed on the club by Fifa has been lifted. The team now looks forward to the new season with renewed focus and determination.”
Juma said the ban had negatively affected the club’s quest for the Kenyan Premier League title for the last three seasons.
“Everyone is aware of the challenges that we faced at the club owing to the ban. It made it impossible for us to win the league title given we could not sign new players,” Juma remarked.
“We plan to recruit at least eight players to boost all the departments. We hope everything will turn out positively as far as the Fifa cases are concerned to allow us to strengthen the team. Once we’ve done that, we will be good to go.”
Juma regretted how the ban had restricted the club into relying on the same crop of players and promoting inexperienced players from the youth setup.
“We have been forced to rely on the same crop of players for the last two seasons, most of whom were promoted from the academy side. We appreciate the awesome contribution to the team but an excellent performance necessitates quality signings,” said Juma.
He said they have already identified key areas that need to be addressed if they are to reach their full potential.
The club’s problems started in March 2022 when Aussems filed a suit at Fifa over unpaid dues amounting to Sh21.5 million.
The amount was accrued between July 31, 2021 — when Aussems signed a new two-year contract — and December 28, 2021.
Leopards chairman Dan Shikanda revealed the breakdown of their agreement with Aussems.
“We have wired a payment of $55,000 (Sh7.8 million) to his account. We are finalising the process of disbursing a further payment of $27,000 (Sh3.8m) on Monday, August 14.”
Additional installments of $40,000 (Sh5.7m) and $30,000 (Sh4.2m) will be offset on December 5, 2023, and March 5, 2024. However, the agreement stipulates a provision for penalties should the payments be delayed.
