Glamour Boys close in on Aaron Katebe

By Ishemunyoro Chingwere and Langton Nyakwenda

Premiership champions Dynamos are on the verge of sealing Aaron Katebe’s move to the capital amid revelations that newly appointed FC Platinum coach Tenant Chilumba has been the stumbling block in the ongoing transfer saga.

DeMbare are chasing the Chipolopolo trialist’s signature and appeared to have got their man way ahead of the CAF player registration only for the tables to turn against them when Chilumba joined FC Platinum.

Chilumba — who coached the central defender at Hwange and has worked with the talented defender since he was 16 back in their native country — is reported to have misrepresented as the player’s agent in the initial stages of the negotiations where Dynamos were represented by their southern region pointman Honest Mugadza.

Katebe was last week reported to be scheduled to fly directly to Harare to link up with DeMbare from Zambia where he had gone for the off-season break, but surprisingly pitched up at FC Platinum where he has been offered a “lucrative” deal.

It has, however, turned out that the player’s “real” manager, Gabriel Kaunda, is scheduled to arrive in Harare today to seal the player’s switch to the Harare giants subject to him being satisfied by their offer.

Katebe is in actual fact represented by United States-based Concord Sports Agency, which is owned by Oyake Amalaye and represented in Zambia by Kaunda.

Mugadza, who negotiated the “deal” on behalf of the Harare giants, said everything was agreed on and both parties expressed their happiness with what was on the table — only for Chilumba to make a mid-air somersault after he landed the FC Platinum job.

“I met Katebe and Chilumba in Bulawayo to negotiate a pre-contract. To me there was nothing amiss because his contract with Hwange was expiring in two weeks’ time and Fifa statutes allow a player to talk to any other club they please once they are in the last six months of their contract.

“Chilumba told me he was as good as Katebe’s agent since he was a good friend of the player’s actual representative, Kaunda.

“Chilumba actually agreed to the deal in the presence of the player, but refused to authorise its conclusion arguing that the player would only sign on the first of January to avoid unnecessary quarrels with Hwange.

“However, the tables turned when Chilumba was appointed FC Platinum head coach as he suddenly made a U-turn and reneged on what he had promised in the initial negotiations,” said Mugadza.

Chilumba, while denying any double dealing, gave the clearest of indications that the Zvishavane-based side might have lost to Dynamos.

“The boy is now confused because of all this hype regarding his next move and today (yesterday) he has not been picking up my calls and I now really do not know what is happening to him.

“As for what you are saying about me sabotaging Dynamos, it’s actually news to me because the honest truth is I have always respected them and I do not intend to stop now,” Chilumba said.

Should Katebe seal his move to DeMbare, he is expected to bolster the club’s defence that has been depleted by the axing of veterans George Magariro and David Kutyauripo as well as the absence of Guthrie Zhokinyi, who is contesting a life ban imposed on him by Zifa for his involvement in the Asiagate scandal.

Dynamos, who face Lesotho’s Correctional Services in the preliminary round of the Orange CAF Champions League next month, are also battling to keep their strike force intact amid reports that their leading attackers Roderick Mutuma and Simba Sithole will leave for trials in South Africa this week.

Mutuma is scheduled to fly to South Africa tomorrow where he is expected to undergo trials with ABSA Premiership side Bloemfontein Celtics who officially requested to run the rule over the former Sporting Manhenga forward.

Sithole, who had a nightmarish stint with Mamelodi Sundowns, has also generated interest from a host of Super Diski sides following a stellar performance late last year and will be looking forward to better fortunes this time around.

DeMbare have already lost impact substitute player Martin Vengesayi, who was told to look for potential suitors after contract negotiations broke down last week.