Silver outsmart BB, Nomads on Limbani
Silver Strikers have pulled a fast one on Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers to sign red-hot midfielder Victor Limbani from Blantyre United.
Although United’s technical director Lawson Nakoma was elusive on the deal, The Nation established yesterday that the uncertainty surrounding the gifted midfielder’s future was cleared at the weekend when the Bankers sealed the deal by paying K2.8 million.
While confirming having completed the deal, Silver chairperson McDonald Mafuta-Mwale could not be drawn to confirm the transfer fee.
“I can confirm though that it is a closed chapter. We have completed everything with Blantyre United and we have had preliminary talks with the player as regards personal terms such as signing on fee and salary.
“He is now our player, but we will allow Bullets to use him in the CAF Champions League assignments, we wouldn’t want to stand in their way. We will come up with a special arrangement to loan him to them, but we expect him to join us before the start of the season,” said Mafuta-Mwale whose side is also chasing striker Tizgobere Kumwenda, currently on loan at Bullets from United.
But United’s Nakoma yesterday was elusive on the issue, claiming that the deal has not yet been finalised.
“We have not finalised the deal yet, it is still in the pipeline,” was Nakoma’s brief response on the issue.
However, Mafuta-Mwale insisted that the deal had been finalised.
“It is possible that Blantyre United cannot come out in the open because they are afraid of Bullets, but they know the truth. Otherwise, I would not come out in the open if we had not concluded,” said Mafuta-Mwale.
Limbani also claimed he was yet to agree personal terms with Silver.
Apparently, the development has caught Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers off-guard as they were also in hot pursuit for the player.
Bullets chairperson Kondi Msungama could not hide his disappointment with United whom he accused of playing double standards.
“Limbani is already loaned to us and we should have been first priority. At first they [United] made a K3.5 million offer for Limbani and K3 million for Tizgobere and after bargaining we came to a K6 million agreement for both.
“And as we were running around looking for money to pay them, we hear they have sealed the deal [for Limbani] with Silver,” said Msungama.
On his part, Wanderers GS Mike Butao confirmed that they were also interested in Limbani, saying: “We made a bid, but Nakoma never responded.”
Last season, the 21-year-old Limbani rose to become one of the brightest prospects on the domestic scene and was named most improved player of the season.
