MIDFIELDER Devon Chafa’s move to Dynamos looks imminent with the Harare football giants’ coach Lloyd Mutasa hinting that a deal could be reached in the next few days.
BY HENRY MHARA
The highly-rated defensive midfielder is a free agent after his contract with Caps United expired at the end of the year.
The Soccer Star of the Year finalist is currently training with Caps United after returning from a two-week trial stint in Egypt.
However, he has been dragging his feet in committing to the Green Machine despite agreeing terms with the club as he waited for Dynamos, his preferred destination, to make a move, which they have done.
When asked if his club had made contact with Chafa, Mutasa said: “I don’t want to say much about Devon, but the only thing I know is he is a great player, good young man, very disciplined and his work rate is unquestionable,” Mutasa said.
“Every coach would love a good player within his area (defensive midfield), and Devon is one. I can’t say we have made contact with him or not, but the idea that Devon Chafa is out there and looking for a team makes it so interesting. If ever we have him in our plans, you will be able to know under one week.”
Chafa was part of the all-conquering Dynamos squad from 2011 where they won the league title four consecutive times before moving to How Mine where he spent one season.
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He then retraced his footsteps back to Harare to join Caps United, helping the team to a league title and the group stage of the Caf Champions League.
Mutasa, whose team are in their third week of pre-season training, said he had only two slots left in his squad for senior players.
One of the slots, according to a member of the technical team, has been reserved for Chafa and the other one will be filled by Tatenda Dzumbunu, who is currently training with the club.
If Chafa and Dzumbunu join as is expected, they will link up with Raphael Manuvire, Blessing Moyo, Jimmy Tigere and James Marufu, who have already signed for the club.
Exciting midfielder Cleopas Kapupurika is also training with DeMbare with indications he will be extending his loan deal with the club.
A host of other players are also trying their luck, and Mutasa is still hoping to get another Cameroonian striker.
“These are the people we have and if there are any additions, they will be coming from this lot. We will get one or two seniors and two more juniors. We are happy with what we have and we are ready to go. We cannot talk much about people who are not around. We cannot wait any longer because the season is starting soon. We would want to try and have the kind of people that have gone through the pre-season training,” he said.
Cameroonian striker Christian Ntouba, who led the Dynamos attack superbly last season, has returned to DeMbare after failing to make an impression at SuperSport in South Africa, where he had gone for trials.
Mutasa said Ntouba’s return gives him a bitter-sweet feeling. “As a coach, if a young boy goes for trials you would want to wish him luck so he can go a step further in his career. For him it was unfortunate, but this is his home and we welcome him back.”
Mutasa will have an opportunity to assess how far his pre-season preparations have gone so far when Dynamos play two preparatory matches against Division One sides Mushowani Stars and Buffaloes on Sunday.
The two matches have tentatively been set for Rufaro Stadium with the first game kicking off at 1pm.
