Jerry Akaminko deal dead, Waibel tells Tribune

According to a RSL Communications, negotiations with Ghanaian center back Jerry Akaminko hit a snag — and according to a Salt Lake Tribune report earlier today, those snags were fatal to the signing.

RSL Communications confirmed that a salary had been agreed upon, and RSL general manager Craig Waibel told the Tribune that some pieces of the contract couldn't be agreed upon. It's not clear what those pieces of the contract were, but it marks a significant blow for the club, who have struggled to find a center back signing in 2016.

Reports from Ghana late last week indicated that Akaminko's signing was nearly completed, but after he was not involved with training on Friday or with the club's last preseason friendly on Saturday, it was apparent that something had changed in the deal.

Waibel told Tribune reporter Chris Kamrani that the club has targeted Costa Rican, Greek, and Mexican internationals for the next round of center back signings. There is no sense as of yet who those players are, or the time table in which they would be brought to Salt Lake.

Whatever the case, this is clearly a point of frustration for the club, who nearly had a center back signed before Christmas.

It does appear that, whenever a signing takes place, it won't be before Wednesday's CONCACAF Champions League match; even if it was, a player would have no time to train with the club.