Hoffenheim’s sporting director Ernst Tanner has claimed that the delay over Knowledge Musona’s proposed move to the Bundesliga is because Kaizer Chiefs are holding out for a bigger transfer fee.
The Zimbabwean joined up with the German top-flight football side in Austria last week for an assessment and was expected to sign for around R15 million.
But Tanner says Scottish giants Glasgow Celtic — who will take Bafana Bafana striker Katlego Mphela on trial next week — have offered more money to prise the 21-year-old to the Scottish Premier League.
“It could end up being down to money, “ he told AFP in Germany yesterday.
“We hope that he will come because he is a very good prospect” – Ernst Tanner.
“We are still in discussions and trying to find a possible solution. He is a technically very well-trained player who will improve and was immediately accepted by the team.”
Celtic declared their interest in Musona earlier this month but were told Hoffenheim had first refusal by Chiefs officials.
But Tanner remains hopeful their record of developing African stars like Demba Ba will persuade the player to sign for them.
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“The player and his advisors want to cooperate with us and we hope that he will come because he is a very good prospect,” he said.
“Musona’s consultants have seen that we have a good record of developing African players because they quickly integrate with us.”
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs coach Vladimir Vermezovic is a happy man as he has a delightful problem going into tonight’s Vodacom Challenge encounter with Orlando Pirates, not having to motivate his players for the game as they are always up for the task of taking on their historical rivals.
Speaking to kaizerchiefs.com, Vermezovic said of his team’s readiness for the game: “We are in the third week of our pre-season programme and we are prepared for this game.
Whenever you play against Pirates the players do not need any special psychological preparation for the match, they are always ready to play against Pirates.”
The Chiefs coach also believes that the knockout element of this game makes it one that both teams will endeavour to win.
“In the Vodacom Challenge this is the most serious game, Spurs are in the final so it is between us and Pirates to see who will play them, we would like to win so that we can reach the final and defend our cup,” he said –Kick Off.
