BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
THE resolution by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to roll over player contracts that were set to expire in December last year to this year has slowed down activity on the transfer market.
Most teams in the domestic league, save for a handful that have deeper pockets, are generally comfortable with securing players as free agents to circumvent payment of transfer fees.
The topflight league agreed at last week’s meeting on a roll over of player contracts in line with Zifa and Fifa guidelines.
That resolution, however, has dragged the transfer activity with several clubs now unable to come up with some form of compensation to clubs that would have taken care of players’ welfare last year when there was no football activity due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Former PSL champions — Chicken Inn are refusing to clear forward Valentine Kadonzvo, who is targeting a move to Ngezi Platinum.
Army side Black Rhinos are targeting to bring on board Gareth Madhake from Harare City, but it now looks highly unlikely as the Sunshine City Boys are demanding compensation for the deal to be consummated.
Rhinos themselves have lost three players and will also seek compensation from the clubs that want to sign them.
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Black Rhinos secretary Edward Mutukwa confirmed that they were being frustrated by Harare City’s demand for compensation to get their targeted man.
“We are expecting to sign Gareth Madhake from Harare City, but we are facing a hurdle because they are demanding compensation. Personally, I think this issue was not made clear enough because there are no parameters of how much should be paid as compensation. Is a club supposed to be compensated for the salary the player has been earning or the signing-on fee? While it was easy to say it, but in my view it’s difficult to implement,” he said.
The army side are also said to be preparing to demand compensation from Highlanders who signed Andrew Tandi and Ngezi Platinum who took on board Marvelous Mukumba.
Harare giants Caps United led the way when they demanded compensation for some of the players they took care of during that period, including Innocent Mucheneka who left after the expiry of his contract last year and is now training with FC Platinum. Newman Sianchali also left to join city rivals Dynamos.
Dynamos have also been accused by Bulawayo Chiefs of improper acquisition of midfielder Shadreck Nyahwa who signed for them in 2019 on a two-year deal and argue that he is still their player based on the Zifa guidelines.
Several other clubs are also set to demand compensation from players that want to leave. With clubs so hard-pressed for funds, activity on the transfer market has slowed down as clubs prowl for freebies.
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