Stephen Appiah: Sulley Muntari makes history with Hearts of Oak

Former Juventus and Ghana attacker Stephen Appiah is the latest to hail the signing of ex-AC Milan and Inter Milan star Sulley Muntari by Ghana Premier League champions Hearts of Oak.

After three years without a club, Muntari is back on the pitch, having penned a short-term deal with the 20-time GPL champions.

Erstwhile Fulham and Leicester City defender John Paintsil, who played together with Appiah and Muntari for Ghana at the 2006 and 2010 World Cup tournaments, earlier highlighted the midfielder’s benefits for the Phobians.

“If there is one thing that makes me happy about your latest movement, it’s the fact that your name will be written amongst the great players who wore the world most adored and envious Jersey. Welcome to the greatest club my bro. Phoooooobia,” Appiah posted on social media.

Muntari follows former Stade Rennes and Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan, another member of Ghana’s 2006 and 2010 World Cup squads, to return to domestic football.

Hearts currently sit fifth on the Ghana Premier League table as they seek to retain the league title.

"Muntari is a leader and he is someone who doesn’t like defeat and the Hearts players have to understand that sometimes when they see him shouting and pushing them, they shouldn’t take it to heart,” Paintsil told Joy Sports.

"All the Hearts of Oak players will look up to him and they’ll be expecting his leadership qualities that will help them.

“Players might feel intimidated that ‘he’s Muntari’, so they cannot tell him when there’s a mistake, but Muntari is a professional player and understands everybody.

"People who don’t know him think he’s someway but when you’re close to him, you’ll see the kind of great person he is. Aside from being a good footballer, he’s also a great human being.”

Muntari’s last club side was lower division side Albacete in Spain where he earlier featured for Deportivo La Coruna.

Away from Ghana, his career first took him to Italy where he joined Udinese. Later, he had stints with Pescara in Italy, English clubs Sunderland and Portsmouth, as well as Saudi outfit Al-Ittihad.