Lilongwe-based Ascent Academy say they have rebuffed advances from four TNM Super League clubs to sign their starlet Mwisho Mhango.
The 17-year-old Malawi Under-20 National Football Team attacker has hogged the limelight after winning the golden boot and being named Player of the Tournament at the just-ended Cosafa Under-20 Championship in Windhoek, Namibia.
The academy’s director Thom Mkolongo said in an interview yesterday that the clubs have been enquiring on Mhango’s statement after their recent clarification that the player, who has been strongly linked with Germany 2 Bundesliga side Hanover 96’s youth side, has not signed for any European team.
He said: “So far, four local big teams have approached us, expressing their interest to sign Mwisho, but it wouldn’t be proper to mention their names at this stage.
“But we have told them that Mwisho cannot be sold to any local team. He has an agent and we are eyeing the European market.
“Of course, as we earlier stated, the boy is not 18 yet and, therefore, cannot sign a professional contract with a European team.”
In an interview with The Nation during the Cosafa youth tournament, Mhango said he will be advised by the academy and his agent on the way forward.
“I think for now, I would better leave it to them to be commenting on my status and I will take whatever they say regarding my future,” he said.
Malawi Under-20 National Football Team coach Millius Jegwe Pofera said the player has huge prospects of making it big in world football.
He said: “What a player! He has all the absolute essentials of an attacker. He has the vision, natural skills, strength, determination and positioning.
“If he looks after himself well, he will go places and rise to become one of the best players to emerge on the local scene.”
Mhango scored five goals in five matches for Malawi at the tournament and had a chance to take his tally to six had he converted a late penalty against South Africa’s Amajita in the final which Malawi lost 3-0.
He took a cheeky penalty that was easily kept out by South Africa’s goalkeeper.
Mhango was also named player-of-the-match in two matches and missed out on the third accolade against Zambia after being shown the yellow card.
