Forge FC transfers Brampton striker Kwasi Poku from Hamilton to Belgian squad

Canadian striker and Brampton’s own Kwasi Poku has been transferred from Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League to Belgian side RWD Molenbeek for an undisclosed fee and future considerations.

Forge said in a release issued Thursday that the transfer fee is a CPL record.

The 21-year-old from Brampton made 71 appearances for the Hamilton-based Forge over parts of three seasons and helped the club win two CPL titles. Poku had 13 goals and four assists in all competitions.

“When you look at Kwasi, we’re ecstatic for him,” Forge head coach and sporting director Bobby Smyrniotis said at a press conference before his team’s CPL match against York United on Friday. “We’re very happy on his progress and what he’s meant to the team this year.

“In this beautiful game of football, when you do a very good job the market determines what’s next. And what’s next for him is moving overseas.”

Internationally, Poku represented Canada at the 2022 CONCACAF Men’s under-20 Championship. He appeared in all four of Canada’s games until a 1-0 loss to Cuba in the quarterfinals.

RWD Molenbeek competes in the Challenger Pro League, the second division of Belgian soccer. The club sat ninth on the 16-team table heading into a match Sunday against 10th-place Lommel.

RWDM welcomed Poku with a video posted to its X page showing the Canadian wearing the club’s jersey.

“To Brussels from over the Atlantic. Welcome, Kwasi,” the team said in a post, adding an emoji of the Canadian flag.

Poku’s move to Moleenbeek comes a year after Cavalry FC transferred forward Goteh Ntignee to French Ligue 2 side FC Annecy for what was then a league-record fee, reported to be around $500,000 plus incentives.

Forge has won four of five North Star Cups, including the last two, since the CPL’s inaugural season in 2019 and is top of the table this season entering Friday’s match.

“You don’t want to lose players at this point in the season, but sometimes things are too good all around and it’s the right step for (Poku) to make,” Smyrniotis said.