Malawi’s international transfers hit record 14
For the first time in the history of local footbal, the 2023 January transfer window has recorded 14 international movements.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) player transfer system and compliance manager Casper Jangale confirmed the development in an interview yesterday.
He said: “Out of the 14, 12 involve players joining foreign clubs while two are players returning to local clubs.”
The Mozambique Mocambola League has imported most of the local player out of the 14 transfers.
Mocambola side Costal do Sol has become the first foreign team with the most Malawian players in a single season. This follows the completion of transfers for Yamikani Chester, Richard Mbulu, Lloyd Njaliwa and Chikoti Chirwa.
The four players were unveiled on Wednesday after the Mocambola side got their International Transfer Certificates for the players.
Chester joins Costa do Sol after ditching Mighty Mukuru Wanderers following a deadlock on new contract terms.
The deal is the player’s fourth foreign transfer after stints with Czech Republic’s MFK Vyškov and USA’s Las Vegas Lights and North Carolina.
For Chikoti and Njaliwa, this is their debut outing after leaving Malawi Defence Force outfit Red Lions and Moyale Barracks.
Mbulu, on other hand, is returning to Mocambola, having first joined the club in 2018 before he moved to Baroka FC in South Africa.
He left the club in 2022 and re-joined Mafco after a failed deal with Iran side Al-Najaf SC last year.
Another Mocambola side, Ferroviaro de Nampula, has signed Bashir Maunde from Civil Service and Paul Kansungwi from Red Lions.
Other transfers involve former Nyasa Big Bullets Nigeria forward Babatunde Adepoju who has joined South Africa second tier side Venda Academy FC. Chawanangwa Kaonga has joined Zanaco of Zambia from Silver Strikers, Mischeck Seleman has moved from Bullets to Prison FC of Tanzania, Chimwemwe Idana left Bullets for Mbeya FC also from Tanzania and Emmanuel Novahiwa Kaposa (unattached) moved to South Africa third tier side Bryannstoen Warriors.
On the other hand, two players, defender Lawrence Chaziya and women’s football star Sabina Thom are returning from foreign clubs.
Chaziya has joined Mighty Mukuru Wanderers after he was released by Jordan’s Pro League side Al Hussein Irbid SC while Thom was released by Simba FC in Tanzania to join Malawi Defence Force Lioness.
FAM also processed transfers for women’s football player Wezzie Mvula from DD Sunshine to Tanzania’s Tigers FC.
Super League of Malawi president Tiya Somba Banda said the record figure shows that the local league has plenty of talent.
He said the football industry can be a forex earner if the TNM Super League continues to export more players.
Somba Banda said: “The more players Malawi clubs sell to foreign clubs, the more forex coming in.”
