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Mahachi for Dynamos

Sport
SOUTH African Premiership outfit Mamelodi Sundowns are close to sealing a deal for Warriors winger Kudakwashe Mahachi and will immediately loan him to Dynamos.

SOUTH African Premiership outfit Mamelodi Sundowns are close to sealing a deal for Warriors winger Kudakwashe Mahachi and will immediately loan him to Dynamos, NewsDay Sport can reveal.

MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE

The Bantu Rovers winger was one of the best players in the local league last season and was voted the second runner up in the soccer star’s selection while turning out for Chicken Inn with whom he won the NetOne Charity Shield.

The exciting winger was invited for trials by the South African giants in October last year and seems to have left an indelible mark from the period he was assessed by the technical department headed by former Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane.

The Chloorkop side earlier told this publication on December 22 that they had exhausted their foreign quota and will not add more foreign players in January, pouring cold water on rumours of Mahachi joining them.

“Mamelodi Sundowns has exhausted its quota for foreign players and do not plan any new signings in January,” Mamelodi Sundowns senior adviser and communications and marketing manager Joe Latakgomo said then.

However, the player’s manager Mlungisi Moyo was still in the dark that the deal to join the cash-rich Sundowns side had hit a snag. “We are still waiting for an official communication from Sundowns where he attended trials,” Moyo said last month.

But asked by NewsDay Sport yesterday if they are negotiating a deal that will see them sign Mahachi this month and immediately loan him to Dynamos, Latakgomo confirmed the development saying they are nearing a breakthrough.

“Sundowns can confirm the information you have — that negotiations are well advanced and he will be loaned out to Dynamos,” said Latakgomo.

Dynamos also confirmed that they are still interested in the slippery winger though they are not yet aware of the latest developments emanating from Mamelodi Sundowns.

“We made an offer for him last year and we failed to land him. I am not yet aware of those latest developments. But I can confirm that if he is offered to us we will take him,” said club chairman Keni Mubaiwa.

Mahachi is currently in South Africa with the national team for the African Nations Championships that roll into life tomorrow.

The Brazilians are believed to be racing against time in concluding the deal before the player is snatched by other foreign suitors when the tournament starts.

Mahachi is hoping to join fellow Zimbabweans Khama Billiat and Cuthbert Malajila already in the books of the Chloorkop-based side. The Brazilians are also home to former Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu who is their team manager, but will certainly get the much-needed exposure at Chan and the Champions League.

Mahachi blossomed into a star when he was being coached by Peter’s late brother Adam at Chicken Inn.

If the deal materialises as is widely expected, Dynamos will have arguably the best squad in the local league having already completed the signing of former Highlanders star Masimba Mambare, former Monomotapa star midfielder Ronald Chitiyo, Themba Ndlovu and Tafadzwa Rusike.

Already, they have two other returnees from South Africa in Simba Sithole and Oscar Machapa.

Dynamos are building a squad for the Orange Caf Champions  League, a competition they have been faring dismally under head coach Kalisto Pasuwa’s tenure. They also intend to match Highlanders’ record of four championships in a row which the Bulawayo giants achieved between 1998 and 2002.