Giants inactive in transfer window

Silver Strikers and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers’ frantic search for signatures of their major targets went up in smoke as the mid-season player transfer window closed Monday midnight.

The two giants were tussling to sign blossoming midfielder Lloyd Banega Aaron from Civil Service United, but they suddenly pulled out after after Civil insisted the player was only available for K15 million.

Silver director Willard Chakanika yesterday said they agreed personal terms with the player after Civil gave them a go-ahead, but they were put off by the fee.

He said: “Initially, we offered K5 million for the player before raising it to K7.5 million, but United stood firm on their K15 million demand.

“Therefore, after looking at several factors including our financial situation, we decided to pull out our interest.”

Wanderers chief executive officer Roosevelt Mpinganjira said about their failed bid for Aaron yesterday: “This is a story about a willing buyer and a reluctant seller. There is nothing we can do now.”

Silver were also desperate to get on board Salima Sugar Dedza Dynamos’ free-scoring Clement Nyondo, who is the TNM Super League’s leading scorer on 12 goals, but his parent club refused to sell him.

He said: “We wrote to Dynamos about our interest in Nyondo but they did not respond.

“Now, we will go back to our De Jongh-led technical panel, which wanted a striker of Nyondo’s calibre, and explain our failure to satisfy his taste as we could not just get any other forward on board.”

Dynamos team manager Elija Ngondo yesterday said they could not let Nyondo go because it might affect the club.

This means striker George Chaomba from Mighty Tigers is Silver’s only signing  this far while Wanderers have welcomed back midfielder Francisco Madinga as a free agent.

The window also closed without the Super League champions FCB Nyasa Bullets signing any new player despite having major assignments, including their Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League campaign that begins with an away preliminary round fixture against Equatorial Guinea’s FC Dragons this Sunday.

Meanwhile, Super League anchors Extreme FC have signed eight players; Willard Dickson from Civil, Mwakifuna Wakisa from Karonga United, John Jafalie from Villa FC and free agents Foster Biton, Mphatso Dzongololo, Mark Kwalira and Stephano George.

Red Lions have six signings, including Franklin Titani from Bullets, Fletcher Bandawe from TN Stars and Marko Kapito from Extreme. Ronald Pangani and Brighton Ngwenyama have renewed their contracts while Gift Phiri was a free agent.

Tigers have roped in Steve Saka from Karonga United, Mtende Kaonga from Ekwendeni Hammers plus free agents Ben Manyozo and Chancy Msema while Civil have taken on board free agents Frank Banda and Harry Nyirenda.

Blue Eagles have signed lower league players Justin Bonongwe from Chintheche United, Steve Banda from Ekas Freight Wanderers and Hezekia Chinseu from Ascent Academy whereas Chitipa United have roped in China Chirwa from Silver and Dynamos goalkeeper Andrew Kaka Mtimkhulu.

Karonga have beefed up their squad with Nanson Mbewe from Chitipa, Mwisho Youngson from Iponga FC, Jolly Mfune from Chipolopolo FC and Allan Mthembu from Make Sure Pirates.

Football Association of Malawi licensing and compliance manager Casper Jangale has since described the mid-season window as the most disciplined.

“There was sanity in the way teams handled their deals. We did not experience bullying as was the case in previous windows, whereby some teams could entice players to join them before finalising the deals,” he said.