The Sunday Mail
Langton Nyakwenda and Ishemunyoro Chingwere
RONALD Pfumbidzai’s handlers will attempt a last-minute deal with a Belgian Pro-league club tomorrow as the Caps United left-back’s trial stint at Kaizer Chiefs looks to have yielded no results.
Pfumbidzai’s name was not part of the 15 deadline day deals released late Friday by the South African Premier Soccer League.
The 20-year-old Zimbabwean international has been undergoing trials at Amakhosi for the past week and will now hope for the paperwork finalisation that ends tomorrow.
Pfumbidzai’s manager Ralph Nkomo, whose network in Europe, especially in Belgium and France, has seen him facilitate a number of deals for local players, said there was an alternative should the talented left-back fail to break into the Chiefs squad.
“I spoke to the young boy; he is enjoying his trial stint at Chiefs, but the club is yet to make its decision on the player.
“We are aware time is running out, but we also have a couple of other options in Europe between Sunday and close of transfer business Monday night.
“We have been making contact with three top clubs in Belgium, Denmark and France. The club’s scouts have already watched Pfumbidzai play and his age could also be his biggest advantage.
“I cannot reveal the names of the clubs right now because of professional reasons, but what I can tell you is that there is work in progress. It is normal business practice to have a plan B running parallel to a deal one will be working on,” said Nkomo on Friday.
Although Nkomo could not divulge the identity of the European clubs, he has strong links with Belgian Pro-league side KV Oostende, who are also home to Zimbabwean international Knowledge Musona.
Nkomo has done business with Oostende in the past, having brokered the deal that took striker Nyasha Mushekwi from Super Diski side Mamelodi Sundowns to Belgium.
KV Oostende coach Frederik Vanderbiest has a soft spot for African talent and has veteran Gabonese goalkeeper Didier Ovono, Bafana midfielder Andile Jali, Cameroonian linkman Sebastian Siani and Senegalese forward Elimane Coulibaly on his books.
Should both the Chiefs and European deals fail to materialise, Pfumbidzai is expected to return to Caps United where he still has a running contract, although recent reports have also linked him with a move to How Mine.
