D-Day for Denver who awaits Wits medicals

By Eddie Chikamhi

DENVER Mukamba has done everything to convince South African Premiership side Bidvest Wits to take him on board, but now the Dynamos star midfielder will have to await the outcome of medical tests which conclude today before he can ink a deal with the Clever Boys.

Mukamba — who passed trials twice at the club last year — is on the verge of moving to the Absa Premiership after impressing the club’s previous coaches Roger De Sa and his successor Antonio Lopez Habas.

Both coaches might have since been fired by Wits, but the club has never let Mukamba move out of their radar.

The talented 20-year old Dynamos prodigy returned to Johannesburg at the weekend to complete the final leg of his possible move to Wits and his manager Gibson Mahachi told The Herald yesterday that the medical examination would be concluded today, after which a contract could be agreed on if he passes.

“Denver is currently training with the squad. I am sure he should be concluding his medicals tomorrow (today) and from then on we might be having something concrete,” said Mahachi.

Wits, who are also home to Zimbabweans — defender Thomas Sweswe and midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha — are keen to take on board the exciting forward. Mahachi said the club would have to agree on personal terms with the player once he completes the medical.

Mukamba, who won the Soccer Star of the Year award last season after helping DeMbare to a second successive league and cup double, could just become the first major signing for the Students in the January transfer window that opened last week.

Wits now have a new coach in veteran Clive Barker who won the African Cup of Nations with South Africa on home soil in 1996.

Mukamba was a victim of a technical shake up when he went for trials for the first time at the Johannesburg side in June last year which saw De Sa being replaced by Habas.

But after returning home and playing a crucial role in writing DeMbare’s successful story in last season’s campaign, Wits felt they needed to have a second look at the player.

And after impressing the club, the latest change in coaches had no effect on the negotiations which were almost complete. Wits currently lie ninth on the log standings with 19 points from 16 games.

The South African league is currently on a break because of the Nations Cup tournament which bursts into life at Soccer City on January 19.

Should he clear the final hurdle today, Mukamba could make his Wits debut on February 13 when they resume their championship campaign with a date against Sunday Chidzambwa and Abbas Amidu’s Black Leopards.

Meanwhile, Cape Town Ajax are reported to have placed a R10 million price tag on Warriors star forward Khama Billiat following inquiries about the former Aces Youth Academy player’s availability.

A number of top South African teams are believed to be after the diminutive forward and cash rich South African side Mamelodi Sundowns are believed to have offered hard cash and another player Clayton Daniels for the highly rated 22-year-old.

However, the Urban Warriors had said they would not sell any of their players to prop up their faltering campaign in the second half of the sea-son.