Asamoah Gyan will mark his Ghana Premier League (GPL) return under a new coach at Legon Cities, the club having hired former Asante Kotoko boss Bashir Hayford as a replacement for fired Bosnian-German trainer Goran Barjaktarevic.
The Accra-based outfit announced the latest development on Wednesday, a day after parting ways with Barjaktarevic following the club's disappointing 3-0 loss to Great Olympics in the top-flight on Friday.
The Royals have drawn one and lost one of two league games thus far. Gyan, though, is yet to make an appearance for the side due to match fitness concerns following his signing in October.
"We are delighted to announce the appointment of Bashir Hayford as the head coach on a contract that runs until the end of the 2020/21 season," a club statement reads.
Barjaktarevic joined Cities ahead of the 2019-20 GPL season which was ultimately terminated midway due to outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
His team struggled throughout the campaign with an early battle with relegation, and eventually found themselves just one point and one spot above the drop zone after matchday 15 when the championship was truncated.
This term, The Royals' fortunes have not been any different as they settled for a 1-1 home draw with Berekum Chelsea in their league opener before falling heavily to Olympics on Friday.
"Legon Cities announces that manager Goran Barjaktarevic has left the club with immediate effect," Cities announced the Bonsian-German's departure on Tuesday.
"The club would like to thank Goran for his services during his time at Legon Cities FC and to wish him success in the future.
"A new manager will announced in the coming days."
Eleven Wonders coach Ignatius Osei Fosu and ex-Ghana and Cameroon assistant coach Ibrahim Tanko were both linked to the Cities coaching job after Barjaktarevic's exit.
The club has had to do without marquee signing Gyan so far following his return to domestic club football for the first time in 17 years.
After leaving Liberty Professionals for Italian outfit Udinese in 2003, the 35-year-old has gone on to represent the likes of Sunderland, Kayserispor, Al Ain, Shainghai SIPG, Al Ahli Dubai and Indian Super League outfit NorthEast United.
He is currently Ghana's all-time top scorer and most capped player, having netted 51 times in 109 internationals. The forward also currently stands as Africa's all-time top scorer at the World Cup after reaching six goals (in all tournaments) during the 2014 event in Brazil.
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