Turkey deal under threat

Turkey-based players’ agency International Pelican Sports is on collision course with Malawian clubs for proposing to sign five Under-23 trialists for free.

The Fifa and Uefa licenced agents want the players, who are undergoing trials at its training centre in Instanbul, to be signed by their newly-established Pelican Football Club which plays in lower league.

Speaking when they made the offers for Blessing Mpokela and Alick Lungu of Nyasa Big Bullets, Chawanangwa Gumbo of Ekwendeni Hammers, Mphatso Kamanga of Karonga United and Fanizo Mwansambo of Bangwe All Stars, Pelican Sports said the clubs will get 50 percent cut if the players are resold to other clubs, according to a letter signed by the agency’s chief executive officer Rasul Allahverdiyev.

This is contrary to what the agency told the clubs that they would facilitate deals for the players to top European clubs and not Pelican Football Club which they own and plays in the lower league.

But Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said they cannot accept the offer and will recall their players.

He said: “We cannot accept this madness. We will recall our boys. We have a letter and will respond.

“How on earth would you even dare to ask a professional club to do such a thing?”

Karonga United general secretary Ramzey Simwaka also described the request as laughable.

“Of course, I haven’t seen the actual letter from the agent, but from our point of view, that cannot happen. It doesn’t make sense to us,” he said.

Football marketing consultant Felxi Ngamanya Sapao, who has been engaged as adviser for Ekwendeni Hammers, said it was normal for clubs to demand a cut from any deal.

“If Pelican Football Club will be spending on the player, then they can negotiate to get the 50 or 40 percent share. It’s normal for low wages plus exposure.”

But Sapao felt the players going as free agents would be a raw deal for the Malawian clubs.

He said: “I would advise the Malawian clubs to agree as long as it’s a loan so that they still maintain ownership of the boys.”

The five players remained in Turkey after impressing during the Under-23 international friendly matches organised by Sports Edge and Africa-TMS.

During the trip, the Junior Flames beat Kuwait 2-0 in their first match and lost 3-0 to Togo in the second match.

Ten teams, namely Zambia, Republic of Congo, Liberia, Benin, Togo (senior), Togo Under-23, Tajikstan Under-23, Kuwait Under-23, Sierra Leone and Malawi, gathered in Turkey for the friendly matches played during the March 2022 Fifa international break.