No, thank you!

BB rebuff Civil’s K10 million price tag for Banda

Nyasa Big Bullets have rejected Civil Sporting Club’s K10 million price tag for midfielder Righteous Banda. Civil  turned down Bullets’ initial K4 million offer for the player, saying it is on the lower side.

The Civil Servants general secretary (GS) Ronald Chiwaula yesterday morning said they can only accept a local offer in the range of K10 million.

He said: “Two seasons ago we sold two defenders [Emmanuel Zoya and John Lanjesi] at K4 million each to Bullets.

“Now, Righteous is national team striker and has age on his side. He has lots of potential, surely his price tag should be more.”

However, Bullets chairperson Noel Lipipa yesterday said they are not prepared to part with that much for the player.

“We are playing in a league in which the prize money is K15 million and they are telling us to buy him [Banda] at K10 million, which is just K5 million less than the [TNM] Super League prize money? No, bwana, that can’t work.

“Our maximum offer, though reluctantly, could be K5 million. If they can’t accept, then they are free to sell him elsewhere,” he said.

Ironically, Chiwaula said they have received enquiries from two foreign clubs—Red Arrows of Zambia and Costa do Sol from Mozambique—on the same player.

“But it appears Costa do Sol are more serious as they have asked us to prepare an offer while Arrows want the player for trials and they have indicated that he should use his own transport and to us, we feel there is lack of seriousness on their part,” he said.

Chiwaula said for the foreign clubs, they have pegged Banda at K15 million.

He also said Silver Strikers have also shown interest in their other forward Raphael Phiri. n