FC PLATINUM made its first sale to a foreign club at the start of this week when Ali Sadiki joined Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) giants and four-time African champions TP Mazembe on a three-year deal.
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The former Gunners striker was on contract with FC Platinum until December 31 2014 and while the figures for his transfer were not immediately available yesterday, it is reported that the Zimbabwean club is happy with the deal.
Sadiki has been with TP for over a month, first joining them for friendlies when they were in Zambia before travelling back to Lubumbashi for further assessments by coach Patrice Carteron.
In Zambia, he was with defender Aaron Katebe, who has since returned to Platinum.
Sadiki’s former teammate Donald Ngoma did not make the grade in Sweden after the Chan finals, leaving the Warriors striker (Sadiki) as the first major import from the Zvishavane-based side.
At the black-and-white giants, Sadiki will join other internationals who include Zambians Rainford Kalaba and Given Singuluma, Malawian international Joseph Kamwendo and the Tanzanian pair of Mbwana Samatta and Thomas Ulimwengu.
Samatta and Ulimwengu will be in Zimbabwe this weekend as Tanzania face the Warriors in the first round, second leg of the 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
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Sadiki was one of the stars of the Warriors’ successful Chan run in South Africa early this year where Zimbabwe reached the semi-finals.
The DRC giants have previously hosted Highlanders midfielder Mthulisi Maphosa, former Monomotapa duo Chris Samakweri and Darryl Nyandoro and Daniel Zokoto, following their success in the 2009 Champions League.
From that group, Simba Sithole and Milton Ncube have joined Ajax Cape Town in the Absa Premiership in South Africa, while Kuda Mahachi was signed by champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Peter Moyo is likely to join Mpumalanga Black Aces in the same league.
TP is owned by renowned businessman and governor of Katanga Province in southern DRC, Moise Katumbi.
Katanga Province is one of the world’s richest regions for copper and the world’s biggest source of cobalt.
According to Wikipedia, Katumbi is worth an estimated $13 billion and has invested heavily in the club, players and its infrastructure.
The club has two private jets — the first a German-made Dornier 128 utility aircraft meant for its officials, that was acquired in 2011.
The second arrived a year later — a 140-seater McDonnell Douglas MD-80, which includes a 16-seat VIP Lounge, painted in the black and white colours of the Corbeaux, with its tail bearing the logo of the 72-year-old club.
Katumbi, in a recent BBC interview, called on Europe to look to Africa as the future of world football.
“What is important for me is to call those investors investing in soccer in Europe to come because the future is Africa,” Katumbi told BBC Sport. “The money in Europe is TV money and sponsors’ money. In Africa to have sponsors is a big problem. There is not a lot of money because we don’t have enough sponsors.”
