Finnish top-tier club SJK Seinäjoki have announced a mutual benefit partnership deal with Ghana Division One League side Vision FC.

The cooperation agreement of a two-year contract signed by both clubs makes the Ghanaian second-tier outfit the first affiliate club of SJK Seinäjoki in Africa.

Vision FC is one of the fast-growing sporting brands in Ghana football with the club's style of management and operation in the Division One League zone three.

The statement reads “SJK and the Ghanaian youth academy Vision FC have signed a cooperation agreement. At the same time, 20-year-old midfielder Salim Yussif will join the ranks of SJK Academy on a loan agreement with a contract lasting the rest of the season. There is a purchase option in the contract.”

“The Ghanaian Vision FC is a youth academy whose teams play in the Ghanaian leagues. Vision FC operates in Accra, the capital of Ghana, but it is looking for talent from all over Ghana. The goal of the cooperation agreement signed now is to find the best talents, according to SJK Academy, to help them in their careers, first to SJK's Veikkausliiga team and from there to the world.”

Sporting director of SJK Seinäjoki explained the reasons behind the Finnish club's decision to partner the Ghanaian side in a two-year contract with an option of renewal.

“ This is a clear sign that, as a club, we want to develop as educators of young players and to form a successful representative team from them in the future. And in order for us to be able to compete in the future as a club at the Scandinavian level, we must strategically look for ways to get even stronger player promises for our player path. We want them from Seinäjoki, the whole of Finland, but also from abroad, says SJK's technical director of sports , Richard Dorman.

- Now, through Vision FC, we have the opportunity to bring promising young players from Africa into our player development system. Give them time under the coaching of our top coaches, in one of our three men's teams. Thus, we ensure that their future potential is used in the best possible way in our representative team”

“Terry Yegbe was a test for this project already last year, and now after one season spent at SJK Academy, he has regularly trained in our representative team, as well as in the starting line-up in our Liigacup games. Kingsley Ofori, although he came from a different organization, has a similar path as a player, says Richard Dorman.

- The cooperation agreement we signed now covers the next two years, and during that time the common goal of us and Vision FC is also to develop their own player path in Ghana. We help them in creating a coaching line, in the basic principles of playing, together with physical training. Thus we prepare their players for the next steps in Europe. - Vision FC is completely focused on player development. Their representative team plays in Ghana's second division, with players whose average age is around 19-20 years old. They have been looking for a partner in Europe who can help them develop their own system and get their best talents a way to Europe.

- I am very excited to see how this project progresses, at the same time our aim is to strengthen our own player development, bringing success and results in the Veikkausliiga, says Dorman in conclusion

President of Vision FC, Michael Osekre also expressed his profound gratitude to SJK Seinäjoki and said the Capital based club shares same vision and goals like the Finnish top-flight club.

“We share the same views and goals with SJK, and this cooperation with them is an important part of our operations, together with the development of the best talents in Ghana. In this way, we create a unique opportunity for these young people to reach their dreams and become professional soccer players,” Osekre told the club's official website.

“Our club is very excited about this project, as the player path and development goals are strongly involved in it. We hope that in the future we will be able to further deepen our cooperation, which is just starting,” he added.