BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
HARARE football giants Caps United are battling to tie down pacey Chapungu winger Ian Nyoni to a new loan deal after the initial arrangement ran out last year.
The Green Machine signed Nyoni on a year-long loan deal where the player was expected to have represented them in the 2020 season, but football was suspended following promulgation of a national lockdown to curb the spread of COVID-19.
This resulted in Nyoni’s loan deal expiring on December 31 last year without him kicking the ball for the club.
The expiry of the loan deal has galvanised the Green Machine hierarchy to seek a new deal as the domestic game prepares for resumption after a year’s hiatus.
Chapungu are willing to lend their star man to Caps United as they will be playing Division One football this season after they were relegated.
As the Harare giants prepare for the campaign in which they hope to make up for the disappointment of losing the title at the final hurdle to eventual winners FC Platinum, they have revived their interest in the player whom they have been taking care of before the expiry of the loan deal.
Caps United administrator Morton Dodzo said they had started negotiations with the Gweru-based side for a new loan deal, but the player was already training with them.
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“We are in negotiations with Chapungu over an extension of the new deal. We are talking to both parties — his parent club (Chapungu) and the player himself — and we are hopeful we will get a new loan deal,” he said.
Should Caps United manage to secure a new loan deal for the forward, it will be a major recruit as they bid to mount a serious challenge on the title following the heartbreak of the 2019 season when they failed to cross the line on the last day of league action, with FC Platinum emerging the winners of the ultimate prize of domestic football
Despite losing forward Newman Sianchali to rivals Dynamos, Innocent Mucheneka and goalkeeper Wallace Magalane to FC Platinum, the Green Machine still appear a strong side that can compete for honours.
With tricky winger Phineas Bhamusi still available, Caps United seem to have a potent forward line that contains Nyoni, Leeroy Mavhunga, Ismael Wadi and Tatenda Tumba, among others.
It is a necessary headache for coach Darlington Dodo as he will have to do the mathematics of how he will fit these stars in the starting eleven.
The Green Machine, one of several teams to start training last week, will, however, face stiff competition from champions FC Platinum, Dynamos, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Highlanders, who have also beefed up their squads in preparation for the resumption of the game.
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