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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
LOWER division football clubs look set to cash in on the mid-season transfer window that opened yesterday, as most Premiership teams look to reinforce their sides with players from the lower tier league.

Teams will be allowed to conduct transfer business until July 31.

No big name moves are likely to occur as most topflight teams are expected to hold onto their key players.

Premiership teams prefer sending their players outside the country as evidenced by the number of topflight footballers that left the country in the past week for trials in South Africa and Europe.

The FC Platinum duo of Wisdom Mutasa and Walter Musona are in the Czech Republic while Highlanders striker Thomas Chideu, Hwange forward Evans Rusike and Dynamos midfielder Ronald Chitiyo, are undergoing trials in South Africa.

More Premiership players are expected to leave the country during the transfer window, with unconfirmed reports that Highlanders’ man-of-the-moment Knox Mutizwa has attracted South African interests.

Scouts are expected at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday for the league encounter with Triangle United to watch Bosso’s double scorer in the 2-3 loss to Dynamos.

Mutizwa has scored five goals in four consecutive starts for Highlanders after missing earlier matches when he accidentally scalded himself with water.

Highlanders have reportedly joined in the race to sign unheralded forward Ishmael Wadi of Southern Region Soccer League side Bulawayo Chiefs.

Ambitious Chicken Inn were the first to show interest in the 22-year-old Wadi, who can either play as a winger or an outright striker.

Impeccable sources said Bosso have sweetened the deal by offering some of their players to Chiefs.

The two clubs enjoy cordial relations dating back a few seasons ago when Bosso loaned Gabriel Nyoni to Chiefs.

At the beginning of the season, Highlanders gave the Southern Region Soccer League side the green light to use utility player Peter Muduhwa, who has been a vital cog in Chiefs’ championship campaign.

Chicken Inn’s lack of urgency in making a formal inquiry for Wadi could see them miss out on signing the former Black Mambas winger.

“Highlanders approached Chiefs inquiring about the availability of Wadi and chances are that they’ll get the player because they even offered to give us some of their players. Chicken Inn have been monitoring the player but they’ve never made their intentions formal, hence Chiefs’ decision to listen to Highlanders’ offer,” said a source.

Should Wadi sign, he will fill the gap left by striker Simba Sithole, whose contract with the Bulawayo giants expired on Tuesday.

Sithole spent the better part of his year at Bosso as a benchwarmer since joining the club in July 2014 after being offloaded by South African Premiership side Ajax Cape Town.

The rumour mill has it that Highlanders captain Felix Chindungwe and Welcome Ndiweni have fallen out of favour at the club and could be used as bait in the Wadi deal.

Highlanders’ chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede yesterday said: “During Monday’s meeting, the coach was given the go-ahead to seek remedial action for certain areas he felt needed reinforcement. I’m sure he has made contact with certain clubs and will soon be advising us so that we take action.”

Bosso have also opened contract talks with defender Honest Moyo whose deal expired on Tuesday.

Gumede indicated that Moyo, who has found a new lease of life playing as a central defender, has agreed to extend his stay.

Another player that Highlanders will be adding to their books is 18-year-old Obert “Adebayo” Tafira, a former Prince Edward High School pupil, who has been training with the club for close to two months.

Tafira played alongside Chideu at high school and could be a direct replacement for Chideu should he make the grade at Ajax Cape Town where he is trying his luck.

Chicken Inn gaffer Joey Antipas said Wadi is their prime target.

“I’ll hold onto my team because we’ve done well, so why fix a running car? I don’t want to tamper with the team, but I intend to sign at least two players so that we’ve options in attack,” he said.

Relegation threatened Tsholotsho FC are expected to complete the registration formalities for the former Warriors’ duo of Joel “Dubai” Luphahla and Danisa Phiri as well as ex-Highlanders star midfielder Siza Khoza.

The trio has been training with the club for three weeks.

Former Highlanders captain Innocent Mapuranga reportedly trained with the Zhwane Boys last week and might also be registered for the second half.

Hwange coach Nation Dube said he would be assessing junior players from their developmental side when he returns from Comoros where the national team will play a Chan qualifier return leg match on Saturday.

“I haven’t decided who to let go, but I’m worried about Isaac Masame, who has been absent without leave for a week. I hear he’s in Harare. There are boys that’ve started training with the first team but I’ll be able to look at them when I return to base next week,” said Dube.

Airforce side Chapungu is also looking at promoting reserve players as they seek to consolidate a top eight finish.

“It’s the midfield and strike force that need reinforcement. We won’t be looking out for new signings, but will be promoting players from our reserve side. Utility player Charles Mativenga, who played some PSL games last season and wasn’t registered at the beginning of the year, is among those we’re assessing,” said John Nyikadzino, Chapungu’s head coach.

Gold miners How Mine indicated that they would be registering Louis Matawu, who has just recovered from injury.

The ambitious side is also looking at Division One players with the hope of getting either a central defender or a striker.