Gabeya back at SA club
Nyasa Big Bullets defender Miracle Gabeya is back at South Africa second-tier league side Highlands Park where he is expected to finalise negotiations for a possible deal.
Highlands, who are on the verge of making a quick return to the elite Premier Soccer League (PSL), offered the rock-solid Flames’ centre-back a two-year contract last year but the deal was cancelled following a transfer fee controversy that raged until the closure of a transfer window.
But an inside source, who asked for anonymity, said Highlands have given the player another chance.
“Gabeya left for South Africa on Sunday to finalise talks about Highlands Park’s offer. For more details ask Bullets chief executive officer [CEO] Fleetwood Haiya,” he said.
Flames’ assistant coach Peter Mponda also told The Nation on Monday that Gabeya missed the Flames’ first fitness training session at College of Medicine (CoM) Sports Complex in Blantyre on Monday because he had travelled to South Africa for talks with Highlands.
However, Haiya yesterday could neither confirm nor deny the news, arguing the club has agreed not to comment anything on their players’ prospective deals.
“As Bullets, we have agreed that if our player is going for trials outside the country or when we want to buy one, we should only comment when the deal is sealed to avoid some confusion that might jeopardise everything along the way,” he said.
“Therefore, allow me not to comment anything about Gabeya. I cannot say whether this is a true story or not. But once any possible deal is finalised, I will let you know at an appropriate time.”
Gabeya’s initial deal with Highlands fell through in January 2017 after Bullets felt the facilitator of the deal—their former captain Patrick Mabedi—was not being sincere on the transfer fee.
Mabedi allegedly communicated to Bullets that Highlands offered about K11 million for the player yet the People’s Team later realised the South African club put on the table about K25 million. As a result, Gabeya could not be cleared as the deadline for transfers in the Rainbow Nation was January 31, 2017. n
