Hot property
Italy-based women’s football star Tabitha Chawinga has become one of the most sought after players in Europe following her successful loan spell at Serie A Femminile side Inter Milan.
English Women’s top-flight league champions Chelsea, PSG of France and Espanyol of Spain are some of the clubs chasing after her signature, according to www.italianfootball.com.
The Scorchers captain in an interview said she is in a tight spot to decide on her future following the expiry of her year-long season spell at Inter Milan.
Tabitha had an impressive debut season, winning the Golden Boot with 23 goals to become the first African to achieve that feat.
She said: “I have been speaking to my manager and he says offers from all over Europe keep coming.
“Among them are top teams from England, France and Spain.
“Topping the list are Inter Milan, where I am currently loaned to [from Chinese Super League side] Wuhan Jiangham.”
Tabitha said she has held talks with the team’s management who are also in touch with her parent club and manager.
She said: “Apparently, Wuhan also want me back as I still have one-and-a-half years left on my contract which expires December 2024, but they are prepared to listen to offers. I really didn’t know that fame and success come with such pressure.”
The 27-year-old forward said she needs some time to ponder on her future.
“It’s not a decision that can be made overnight and my manager has advised me to take it easy,” Tabitha said.
According to Forbes and Business Insider, Tabitha’s estimated net value is $5 million, up from $1.5 million.
Veteran football players’ agent Ben Chiwaya in an interviw said it is not surprising that Tabitha is attracting such interest.
He said: “She is among the best female footballers in the world and obviously, big teams are bound to chase her signature.
“She has attained a superstar status and, of course, that comes with its own pressure and that’s where a good manager gets real test.”
Tabitha and Real Madrid’s Caroline Weir are the only players in the top five European league’s to have scored 15 goals excluding penalties.
She has won the golden boot in three different countries at Kvarnsvedens IF in Sweden, Jiangsu Suning and Wuhan in China as well as Inter in Italy.
In October 2022, she was named the best African player in Europe for the month of September by international cable sports channel ESPN, barely a week after winning the Italian Serie A Women’s Player of the Month for September
