Head coach of Asante Kotoko, Abdul Karim Zito, has disclosed that he has begun grooming a replacement for the club’s departed striker, Albert Amoah, following his transfer to Libyan powerhouse Al Ahly Benghazi.

Amoah, who had been the club’s main attacking threat since joining from Accra Great Olympics, sealed his move to the North African side last week, while the Porcupine Warriors were still engaged in their CAF Confederation Cup campaign.

His departure came at a difficult time for the team, who were nursing the wounds of a humiliating 5–1 defeat to Morocco’s Wydad Athletic Club in Casablanca in the return leg of their continental fixture. 

The loss meant Kotoko exited the competition on a 6–1 aggregate, having earlier suffered a narrow 1–0 defeat in the first leg played at the Accra Sports Stadium.

Speaking in an interview, Coach Zito admitted that Amoah’s exit had left a significant void in the squad, particularly in attack, but insisted that there was no time for regrets. 

Instead, he said, the technical team had already started developing a new generation of forwards to step up and take responsibility.

“Definitely, he is gone. There’s no way we should continue crying over him,” Zito said. “We are preparing the next generation of players to take over. It’s up to them to prove they deserve to be there.”

The experienced coach, who has a reputation for nurturing young talent, expressed optimism that with time, the team would unearth another prolific striker to lead the line for the Porcupine Warriors.

“Now Amoah is no more, so we should continue with what we have and work hard to get what we want,” he added.