After nearly three years of back and forth over salary arrears settlement, the former Hearts of Oak Technical Director Rene Hiddink has confirmed that he has received the $146,000 settlement owed to him.

The payment was confirmed by Hiddink in an interview with Sportstiger on Original TV, saying

“I received my settlement payment two days ago from Accra Hearts of Oak Club,” he said.

The settlement is expected to allow Hearts of Oak to submit the necessary documentation to FIFA as they seek the formal lifting of the transfer ban.

Should FIFA approve the request, the Accra-based club will be able to register their new signings and complete their recruitment ahead of the new campaign.

The development will be a major boost for new head coach Nebojsa Kapor, who is expected to strengthen his squad as Hearts of Oak aim for a more competitive season.

The Phobians are scheduled to begin their 2026/27 Ghana Premier League campaign at home against Berekum Chelsea.

About Hearts and Hiddink

The Hiddink-Hearts of Oak case started when Hearts of Oak signed a three-year deal with the Dutch football coach in July. However, before he could complete a year, the club sacked him in the eighth month, March 2024.

According to reports, no official letter was issued to Rene to annul his appointment, but he was simply told by word of mouth that his time with the club had come to an end.

The reasons behind his abrupt dismissal haven't been made public; however, it is reported that it was as a result of Hearts of Oak not publicly disclosing a specific reason. The aftermath, however, suggests serious internal conflict.

Visibly dissatisfied with how the club dealt with him, Rene filed a formal complaint with FIFA in mid-2024 for wrongful termination. Hiddink’s lawyer, David Winnie, slammed the club for acting “dishonestly and sneakily” by rushing player registrations before the ban took effect on August 22.

Consequently, he sent a petition to FIFA and had a FIFA rule in his favour.

Hearts, however, missed the ninety-day (90) payment deadline to settle the $150,000 owed to Rene.

In a statement dated August 21, FIFA ordered the club to pay Rene what is due to him since it has refused to comply with his previous directive "in the matter ref. no. FPSD-17518 (the Decision)".

"We refer to the above-mentioned matter, as well as the decision passed by FIFA in the matter ref. no. FPSD-17518 (the Decision).

In this context, it appears that, despite the Decision, Accra Hearts of Oak S/C (the Respondent) has not yet complied with its financial obligations towards Rene Hiddink," excerpts of the statement read.

Consequently, FIFA barred Hearts of Oak from engaging in any transfer deals, both internationally and locally, for the next three windows: Window 1 (August 2025 – January 2026), Window 2 (JanWindow 2 (January 2026 – August 2026), and Window 3 (August 2026 – January 2027).