By Edward Marange
Zimbabwean wing back Onismor Bhasera who obtained a work permit to play for English Premiership side Portsmouth is still awaiting negotiations between his current club Kaizer Chiefs and Pompey over his fee.
With takeover talk at Portsmouth affecting their pre-season plans and ability to buy new players, manager Paul Hart expressed confidence the deal will go through once the clubs agree on Bhasera’s value.
Bhasera obtained a work permit only after he appealed an initial refusal. The UK Home Office then argued that Zimbabwe was outside the top 70 countries on the FIFA Coca Cola rankings, a requirement under their rules.
Pompey however appealed citing the extra-ordinary circumstances that have seen Zimbabwe slide down the rankings. Bhasera is currently in South Africa sorting out his paper work and winding up his personal business.
Portsmouth have already lost their opening 3 matches of the season and alarm bells are already ringing with pundits predicting they will be relegated if they do not bring in new players.
The club has sold top quality talent in Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch, Lassana Diara, Pedro Mendes while Sol Campbell has let his contract run out, eyeing a move to Nott’s County.
Meanwhile Kaizer Chiefs confident the deal will go through have congratulated Bhasera on his pending move using their website.
‘The chairman and managing director, Kaizer Motaung, has congratulated defender Onismor Bhasera on his move to Portsmouth in the Barclays Premiership, England,’ the club said on its official website.
‘Onismor (Bhasera) indicated to us at the end of last season that he would want to pursue a career abroad of which we agreed to and I am happy that he has managed to secure a move to the Premiership to Portsmouth.
‘He becomes a second player in less than five years that we have transferred to the same club after we sent Collins Mbesuma following a successful spell with the Club. On behalf of Kaizer Chiefs I would like to wish the player everything of the best in his endeavours in Europe,’ he said.
