WARRIORS’ striker Edward Sadomba has signed a two-year contract with Libyan side Ahly Tripoli in a big money deal reportedly worth millions of dollars. HENRY MHARA SPORTS REPORTER
Sadomba, who has flourished in Libya since moving into the war-torn but oil-rich country in 2009, was with Al Ahly Benghazi last season, but saw very little action as the league was suspended due to the ongoing civil strife in the North African country.
The season was supposed to commence in August, but fighting between rebel factions in the capital Tripoli and Benghazi made arrangements impossible, forcing the speedster to return to Harare where he has been involved in charity work in the past few months.
Reports from Libya yesterday suggested that the 31-year-old, who is obviously reaching his twilight, had signed a two-year deal with the Tripoli side reportedly running into millions of dollars. The Libyan league is expected to resume in January.
The news was first reported by a website Transfer News Central Africa before it was picked and endorsed by several Sudanese journalists.
“Zimbabwean striker Edward Sadomba has joined Libyan outfit Al Ahly Tripoli on a two-year deal,” wrote the website.
According to a Sudanese journalist Oluwada Lotfi, Sadomba could have been offered a lucrative deal by Tripoli.
“Chief Sadomba is already 31, so it’s understandable to see him chasing some big contracts now,” wrote Lotfi on his Twitter account.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“Sadomba could have got a far bigger career with a better choice, but this was his destiny written by God.”
As if to give credence to the reports, the former Dynamos striker, winner of the golden boot in the 2011 African Champions League and the 2012 African Confederations Cup, appeared in a Twitter picture posing with Ahly Tripoli officials.
While financial details of the deal were not clear yesterday, it is presumed Sadomba could have signed a multi-million dollar contract.
This is not the first time that Ahly Tripoli has tried to sign the high-rated striker. Three years ago, Tripoli offered Sadomba $350 000, minus salary, for a six-month loan contract which the striker turned down — an amount that can easily translate to $1 400 000 for the current deal.
Last year while with Benghazi, Sadomba spent six months on loan at Pro League side Kalba in the United Arab Emirates, in another money spinning deal.
He reportedly earned $400 000 during his short spell in Dubai.
Sadomba won the Caf Champions League golden boot in 2011 and Caf Confederations golden boot in 2012 while playing for Sudanese giants Al Hilal.
He was nominated twice by Caf among best African players based in Africa in 2011 and 2012 and he remains one of the hottest properties in African football.
Some of the continent’s biggest clubs, El Merrikh, Al Hilal’s bitter Sudanese rivals, and Egyptian giants Al Ahly have in the past tried unsuccessfully to prize the Warriors striker away.
Sadomba has scored 23 goals in Caf Champions League and Confederations Cup games since 2008.
Third in the 2008 Caf Champions League goal-scoring charts with five goals playing for Dynamos,
Scorer of two Champions League goals in 2009 as he led Al Hilal to the semi-finals, the Sudanese league championship and the Sudanese FA Cup victory,
Helped Al Hilal into the semi-finals of the Caf Confederation Cup in 2010, he was second-best in the goal-scoring charts with five goals and won the Sudanese FA Cup golden boot with 13 goals,
He helped Al Hilal retain the league championship,
He scored seven goals in the Caf Champions League in 2011, as he led Al Hilal to the semi-finals of the competition and won the golden boot award,
He was nominated for the CAF best player based in Africa award,
He won the CAF Cup golden boot with eight goals in 2012, three in the Champions League and five in the Caf Confederation Cup, and was Al Hilal’s top scorer with 26 goals in all competitions. He was nominated among Africa’s best XI players on the continent.
