Caps United’s failure to pay striker John Zhuwawo his signing-on fees has handicapped them in their transfer fee negotiations with South African top-flight football side Ajax Cape Town who intend to sign the player.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
While Caps United initially demanded $100 000 before coming down to $60 000, Ajax Cape Town are holding on for $40 000 with the knowledge that the Green Machine are compromised since they breached contract terms with the exciting forward.
Zhuwawo is expected to join the South African club in the January transfer window after impressing them during a short trial stint last month.
However, informed sources said this week, negotiations for the transfer of the striker had been stalled because Ajax Cape Town were not in agreement with Caps United’s asking price.
The Green Machine, according to sources, had initially demanded $100 000 for the transfer of the player, but the Urban Warriors were not willing to pay that much on the grounds that the player did not receive anything in signing-on fees.
“They (Caps United) initially wanted $100 000 for his transfer, but Ajax Cape Town were not in agreement. They argued the figure was not realistic because the player’s contract had not been honoured, so they had to bring it down. That was when they proposed $60 000, but again Ajax Cape Town are saying it is still too much and have proposed R35 000, an equivalence of $40 000. This has been the sticking point, but it appears Caps United are now willing to release the player,” the source said.
The two parties are expected to meet next week when Caps United return from a tour of Saudi Arabia.
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The former champions owe their players about three months’ salaries, but have given assurance that they would clear the arrears as soon as they get the balance of their prize money for their participation in the Caf Champions League.
The South African giants have been closely monitoring Zhuwawo, who joined Caps United from Gunners, having been part of police side Black Mambas when they were still in the top-flight league in 2011 before they were relegated to Division One.
Although Zhuwawo was only given the platform to showcase his talent during the later stages of the just-ended campaign following the departure of forwards Abbas Amidu and Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo, he went on to score five goals and contributed as many assists.
The Green Machine were hit by a massive player exodus this season after their participation in the Champions League in which they defied the odds to go all the way to the group stage of the prestigious tournament.
Zhuwawo becomes the latest player to leave the Green Machine.
Besides Amidu and Chitiyo, who are now playing in Tunisia and Egypt respectively, Ronald Pfumbidzai was also snapped up by South African top-flight side Bloemfontein Celtic.
