Kwadwo Poku sold out to Miami FC
New York City Football Club has announced today that transferred midfielder Kwadwo Poku to Miami FC of the North American Soccer League.
Poku, a 24-year-old native of Ghana, had five goals and seven assists in 34 competitive appearances for New York City Football Club, with 9 MLS starts and 2 in the US Open Cup. He scored his lone goal of the 2016 season in a 1-1 draw against Toronto FC on May 18.
“This is a move that really makes sense for us,” Sporting Director Claudio Reyna said. “Miami came with a significant offer that will give us options in the summer transfer window and beyond. We know and understand that at this stage of his career playing regular first team football is very important to Poku.” “We’d like to thank Poku for his contribution to the building of New York City FC on and off the pitch” Reyna said. “Everyone at the club wishes him the very best in this next chapter of his career”.
Poku’s career began in his native Ghana, playing in the youth system of his hometown club, Asante Kotoko SC in Kumasi, Ghana. He joined the Georgia Revolution in 2010 after coming to the United States. After netting a hat trick in the U.S. Open Cup, Poku joined the Atlanta Silverbacks of the NASL in 2014. Poku was transferred to New York City Football Club from the Silverbacks on Jan. 23, 2015 and made his first appearance for Ghana in a 1-1 draw against Canada at RFK Stadium on Oct. 10, 2015.
It looks like the 24-year-old Ghanaian midfielder will be getting a significant pay rise over his MLS salary of $67,500.
Miami FC paid over $700,000 to land Poku. Poku will earn between $300,000 and $350,000, with his contract expiring next year. Apparently the New York City made a tidy sum off a player they would of either let walk away for nothing or signed at close to the minimum.
Those are two reasons Poku stand out for and we all questioned why! Poku has great physical gifts to notice the goal, we remember his amazing start of last season, where he was MLS cult hero to the fans.
But in the other hand this year he struggled to find his rhythm while new manager Patrick Vieira’s system. Despite making the 18-man game-day squad on multiple occasions, Poku was unable to see playing time since new head coach gave him a hard time. But when hen he did, his impact on the game was mostly negligible. Moreover need technical skills to fit in properly, however in my opinion Head Coach need to give him more attention to work out on that skills, instead resorted to taking on defenders directly, thereby throwing the offense out of sync.
Vieira was frustrated with Poku’s approach to team practice, and since the start they both had pressure, while Poku would look utterly lost in tactical training.
It’s been clear that he wasn’t a part of the team’s long-term plans for a while, even Mix Diskerud have been the odd men out in a stacked midfield. Since Lampard is healthy, and on the evidence of the last couple of games, performing at an acceptable level needed for the team to succeed.
Everyone expected Poku to make huge impact for the U.S. Open Cup liss to the New York Cosmos, his invisibility make even more to stand out in Vieira’s eyes.
Miami FC is new club who has been willing to pay considerably over the odds for players that haven’t performed elsewhere.
Miami gets a solid midfielder who can score and create havoc with defenses, particularly as a second forward. Poku gets a considerable pay rise. Wish him best of luck in new club.
