Bosso winger on Rollers’ radar

By Ricky Zililo

Botswana Premier Soccer League champions Township Rollers are reportedly interested in signing Highlanders’ winger Gabriel Nyoni, with the player’s manager saying the ball was now in Bosso’s court.

Nyoni, who turns 26 in September, has been a vital cog in coach Madinda Ndlovu’s plans, as he leads Bosso’s revival process.

Rollers’ interest in Nyoni, who has two goals and a couple of assists, comes a year after Highlanders turned down a bid from Botswana topflight outfit Extension Gunners for the services of the striker, saying the offer by the Lobatse-based side did not meet their expectations.

Rollers, who have 15 league championships, will have to make a “reasonable” offer to Highlanders if they are to get the Bosso vice-captain.

Gilbert Sengwe, Nyoni’s manager who also handles disgruntled ex-Dynamos striker, Christian Epoupa, confirmed Rollers’ interest in the player.

“Township Rollers are interested in Nyoni and they wanted him to come for trials, just to assess him. They (Rollers) wrote to me and I took their request to Highlanders who then asked the Botswana side to write a letter to Bosso directly asking for Gabriel’s services. Remember Gabriel is contracted to Highlanders and everything has to be done through his club. What we are awaiting is for Highlanders to give the player the green light to attend trials,” said Sengwe.

Highlanders are hunting for a striker to bolster their attack in the second half of the castle Lager Premiership season and are unlikely to release Nyoni unless they get a good offer from the Botswana side.

Nyoni is in the last six months of a two-year contract, which he signed at the beginning of 2017.

Bosso chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube said they will not stand in the way of the player should they get a “sensible” offer.

“The policy of Highlanders has always been to give a platform to players and once a sensible offer, which suits both the interests of the player and the club is made, then the player in question will leave. We haven’t received any formal communication from the said club (Township Rollers) and until such a time that we receive a letter from them, the interest from Botswana remains a rumour,” said Dube.

“However, on a positive note, the fact that there is a rumour linking one of our players to the champions of Botswana is a positive matter in as far as Highlanders’ brand visibility is concerned. It is more of a vote of confidence in the rebuilding development project that we embarked on and it won’t be surprising to have more of such transfer rumours involving our players.”

Last season, Nyoni had Nigerian second tier side COD United inviting him for a two-week trial stint, which failed to materialise.

The West African side failed to provide the player’s travelling itinerary and clarity on certain immigration formalities that Highlanders had asked for, as they looked out for the striker’s interests. The Chronicle