DYNAMOS midfielder Tawanda Muparati could be headed for How Mine next year if the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions do not renew his contract.
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Muparati will be out of contract with DeMbare on December 31 and sources said the midfielder, who was not regular for the Dynamos in the just-ended season, was seen in Bulawayo last week where he engaged How Mine officials.
How Mine coach Luke Masomere yesterday confirmed that he was interested in the 2013 Castle Lager PSL soccer star of the year.
Masomere said he would only be talking to Muparati next year.
“I want him, but for now he is a Dynamos player,” he said.
“I cannot be seen talking to players who are still contracted to their clubs. It would be breach of contract and very unprofessional.
“I will be talking to him next year. We are off-season and I am in Harare attending a course. He has not been in Bulawayo, if I am to talk to him, I will talk to him in Harare.”
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Other players who have been linked to the Metallon Gold-sponsored How Mine are Buffaloes’ Tafadzwa Mombeshora and Shabanie Mine goalkeeper Victor Twaliki.
However, Masomere — who had a stint at Buffaloes — said all the talk was mere off-season speculation.
“All the players that were at How Mine are still our players,” he said.
“We have not released anyone, we have not told anyone to go. There is so much speculation going on about How Mine, but we have not heard anything about Chicken Inn or Highlanders. We still have all our players.”
The gold miners’ chairman Mlondolozi Nkomo denied that How Mine had engaged Muparati, but said if the club’s technical team was interested in the player, he would be engaged.
“Muparati is a Dynamos player until December 31,” he said.
“He may have come to Bulawayo and talked to some people. But I am not aware of that and as How Mine we have not talked to the player officially. He was probably in Bulawayo, job-hunting. I have watched him a couple of times. He is an exciting player and I think he is good. If our technical team wants him, we would definitely assist.”
Muparati’s mobile phone went unanswered yesterday. Most of How Mine’s senior players, who hastily joined the gold miners at the beginning of the 2014 season, will be out of contract on December 31.
Some of the players whose contracts will be expiring include top goalscorer Kudakwashe Musharu, Gilbert Banda, George Magariro, Brighton Dube, Timothy January, Thembani Masuku, Edmore Muzanenhamo and goalkeepers Ephraim Mazarura and Notice Dube.
Before trials How Mine conducted a few weeks ago, Nkomo said: “We want to get our team ready for next season. This year we ended up registering players who were not fully assessed because of time constraints.
“The other reason is because many players from the lower divisions were calling us during the season saying they wanted to join us. So we want to give them a chance so that the coaches see if they make the grade.”
How Mine, under coach Philani Ncube, assembled a strong squad at the end of last year as they prepared for the 2014 Orange Caf Confederation Cup.
