A former striker of Accra Hearts of Oak, Bernard Arthur says the club should have done everything possible to keep influential attacker Joseph Esso from leaving.

Esso, a former Ebusua Dwarfs forward has parted company with the Phobians following the expiration of his contract. The 27 year old decided against renewing his deal because the club’s top brass failed to match up to his new wage demands.

It has been reported that Esso who was earning a salary of GH₵ 18,000 a year demanded for GH₵ 50,000 as signing fee and GH₵54,000 as yearly salary. The player also wanted a one year contract.

Hearts of Oak on the other hand were only willing to offer GH₵ 30,000 as signing on fee and GH₵36,000 as yearly salary and also proposed more than a one year deal..

The differences and eventual lack of compromise led to both parties splitting with the player now a free agent.

The development has triggered a backlash on social media against the club; with some supporters planning to engage the player to get him to make a sensational return to the club.

Reacting to this, Bernard Arthur who was part of 5 players released by the club just a week ago, says Hearts of Oak should have pulled hair from their nose to tie Joseph Esso down to a new deal, if truly he was crucial to their project.

He made the disclosure in an interview with Accra based Asempa FM.

Listen to Arthur in the audio clip below.