DYNAMOS midfielder Devon Chafa is set to join former boss Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa at FC Platinum amid speculation that he has agreed personal terms with the Zvishavane-based side.
MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
The midfield hard man missed the better part of the second half of the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season following his suspension by Fifa after testing positive for a drug with a prohibited substance.
At the time of his ban he had acquainted himself to being the preferred first choice to shield the Warriors midfield and will now miss the third edition of the African Nations Championships finals which get underway in South Africa on January 11.
Chafa whose transition to professional football is heavily indebted to the FC Platinum mentor who brought him to Dynamos when he was still coaching the champions, is likely to pounce on a move to reunite with Samaita.
Samaita and Dynamos coach Kalisto Pasuwa are believed to have made a gentleman’s agreement that they would never bid for each other’s players.
But Pasuwa sold Mutasa a dummy when he formally inquired into the availability of Donald Ngoma and Nelson Maziwisa as he sought to boost his squad for the Champions League.
A source within the Platinum miners told our sister paper NewsDay Sport that Chafa had agreed to join them next season.
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“We spoke to him and he agreed to join us. We agreed on his salary and signing on fees. We are now waiting for him to come this side to officially sign the contract. But the deal is still closely guarded because authorities fear jeopardising it before it is concluded,” the sources said.
Platinum media liaison officer Chido Chizondo refused to disclose their negotiations with Chafa dismissing them as mere speculation.
“We have not agreed anything with Devon, but he is part of our wish list. Like any other player we might sign him during the transfer window.
“We made an inquiry about his availability in the mid-season transfer window and failed to lure him, but this time around we have not yet made any advances for him,” Chizondo said.
Sources at Dynamos yesterday also indicated that the midfielder was headed for FC Platinum, who finished the season in fourth position and want to launch an onslaught on the league title. Platinum have already signed Tarisai Rukanda. Highlanders might sign the trio of Welcome Ndiweni, Joel Ngodzo and Charles Sibanda from them.
Dynamos will, however, thwart any attempts to price out the highly-rated midfielder from them as they have provisionally listed him on their Caf Champions League squad.
But their efforts to retain Chafa’s services appear doomed as the well-funded platinum miners, who also operate a fuel service station and nite clubs in Zvishavane, have the financial muscle to outsmart their opponents in the transfer market.
The owners of the player, DC Academy, are likely to favour a move to the Midlands as it will come with huge financial benefits for them and the player as compared to the financially-troubled Harare giants. DeMbare will have the platform to market the player in the African Safari.
