Head coach of Kumasi Asante Kotoko Mariano Barreto has slammed the club for failing to replace top scorer Kwame Opoku after selling him to Algerian side USM Algers.

The porcupine warriors sold the prolific striker at the start of the second round of the 2020/2021 league season but was barely replaced as those acquired failed to shine.

Kotoko bought Brazilian striker Michael Vinicius after the sale of Kwame Opoku but the player who signed a one year deal with the club barely last three months before he was shown the exit.

The outspoken Portuguese trainer says that he was surprised when he was told by the management of the club that they have acquired a top notch Brazilian striker as no proper Brazilian player will come to Ghana to play football.

He says that just as Ghanaian players travel to Europe to play football due to money, Brazilian players too are after money.

“Players from Ghana want to go to Europe, players from Brazil also want to go to Europe. Mostly for Money,” he told Kumasi based Nhyira FM.

“So I was surprised to hear that a top striker from Brazil is coming to replace Kwame Poku at Kotoko."

“When they (Kotoko) told me a top Brazilian striker is to replace Kwame Opoku, I was surprised. Because why could a top striker in Brazil come to Ghana?" he added.

Vinicius scored just once for the Porcupine Warriors.

However, Fabio Gama, who is also a Brazilian was sensational for the club, scoring 5 goals with 7 assists in the just-ended campaign.