Ghana’s all-time top scorer Asamoah Gyan has revealed that Sunderland pushed him out of the club because of an enticing $6 million loan deal from Al Ain.
Gyan in an exclusive interview which has been serialised explained that he didn’t want to join Al Ain but the management of Sunderland forced it on him to agree on the loan deal.
Gyan who was a cult hero at Sunderland left in September 2011 after just a season with the English side because of an attractive offer from the Gulf region.
“There was a lot of misunderstanding that people don’t know. Definitely, when you do well clubs will come for your signature. Al Ain came in for a loan deal for $6 million for a loan deal for just one season” Gyan said in an exclusive interview in March 2020.
“Then me being the marksman of Sunderland at that time. The fans loved me and we had a good relationship. My music was played in the stadium every time like the relationship was great I didn’t feel any negativity there.
“I was there so when the offer came, the management came to me and told me just to go for the loan deal. So, I asked myself me being the marksman of the team, how possible, why should I even go to a club in UAE. They told me the deal was good and it was going to benefit the club. The club needed money at that time. It was going to benefit the club, I said to myself what about me the player. What about the fans. That was the question I asked them. I was told I just have to go for the loan and come back and continue my career there.
“I saw my personal contract. It was a very good deal for me personally, but I was thinking of what the fans were going to say, why I was going. It got to a time I felt that they needed the money, they needed the deal and personally, the deal was good for me, so I had to go for the loan deal and come back.
“When I went there, I fell in love with the place and everything was going on well for me. I was the top scorer. I had to contact my team, my manager and we had to make a decision and the decision was good, I had to renew my contract. In the contract, I was earning even more than the loan deal. It a very good deal and I felt like in my profession I had to be well paid. Although I love my job I can do what I can do on the field. I have to think about myself first, so the decision was good. I decided to stay, I fell in love with the place and I stayed. Till now I have no regrets”.
Asamoah Gyan during his stay at Al Ain continued his goal-scoring feat in Ghana and had his most productive period as a player for the national team with that period.
