Harare Premier Soccer League giants Caps United have rubbished talk that midfielder Archford Gutu is on his way out of the club as the midseason transfer window draws close, with rivals Dynamos believed to be chasing the player’s signature.
BY Munyaradzi Madzokere
Gutu, whose stint at the Green Machine was tainted by a brush with the law after he was arrested for malicious damage to property, almost signed for Dynamos at the beginning of the season before opting for Caps United.
Caps United find themselves second on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League standing after 10 matches and face newcomers Bulawayo City at the National Sports Stadium this Sunday.
Assistant coach Mark Mathe clarified Gutu’s situation during the club’s weekly Press conference yesterday.
“Gutu is around, he is training well and he is playing unlike what is being said. He is a Caps United player and is very much in our plans,” he said.
Mathe added that the former Cup Kings are happy with the current squad, which head coach Lloyd Chitembwe has spoken glowingly about from the beginning of the season.
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“We are happy with the compliment of players that we have, so we are not looking to buy, but we are monitoring the situation. One foreign club may come and say we want player A or B and if that happens, we need to replace that particular player,” he said.
Club spokesperson Alois Bunjira also said the club had not made any manoeuvres to sign the duo of Denver Mukamba and Ovidy Karuru, who are both on the market.
“There are also rumours that we are in talks with Denver Mukamba. We haven’t had any talks with him and he is not coming to Caps United. The same thing with Ovidy Karuru, he hasn’t spoken with anybody at Caps United. But I am not saying they can’t come to Caps United,” he said.
“There have been rumours that have been going round that Gutu and Method Mwanjali have been fired by Caps United. Those are lies that have never been debated at the club. Both players are very much part of this club.”
Following a turbulent week in which players downed tools over unpaid dues and ended in the best possible manner, a 2-0 win against Mutare City Rovers at Sakubva, Caps United will be looking to claim three more points this week after a trouble-free training week.
“Bulawayo City is coached by a seasoned coach, Philani Ncube. He has a squad with seasoned campaigners and they have also been doing well on the road. They are coming from a defeat at home, so we are expecting a very tough game,” Mathe said.
City are the highest-placed debutants, sitting seventh on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League table with three wins, five draws and two defeats from 10 matches.
The Ncube-coached side is yet to lose a match on the road, having already conceded defeat twice at home and the match against Caps United will be a much tougher assignment for them.
