Boavista is competing with Heart of Midlothian for the services of Kazakhstani international Islam Chesnokov, a top summer target.
Additionally, veteran Scottish manager Stuart Baxter is now in charge of the faltering Portuguese team.
Hearts of Oak have entered a heated bidding war with Portuguese sides for the signature of 22‑year‑old attacking midfielder Samuel Mensah from Kumasi Asantekotoko. The Ghana Premier League’s reigning champions have tabled a €350,000 offer for the dynamic playmaker, whose impressive haul of eight goals and seven assists in 29 league outings last season caught the eye of scouts across Europe.
Though Portuguese club has lodged a rival bid of €400,000, Hearts remain confident their proposal will ultimately prevail. Mensah, under contract until December 2026, reportedly favours a move to Accra, where regular first‑team football and potential continental exposure in next year’s CAF Champions League hold significant appeal.
Sources close to the negotiations indicate that Hearts have also included performance‑based add‑ons and a lucrative sell‑on clause, sweetening the deal beyond the initial fee. Portuguese sides, however, are expected to counter with higher guaranteed payments.
Should Hearts secure Mensah’s signature before the July 31 transfer deadline, head coach Edward Nii Odoom believes the youngster’s creativity and direct running will inject fresh impetus into their attacking options. As talks intensify this week, both parties are racing against time to finalise terms and register the transfer ahead of the new Ghanaian season’s kick‑off on August 15.
