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Lawrence Mhlanga

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
A PLAYER wrangle is looming between Chicken Inn and FC Platinum after it emerged that national team defender Lawrence Mhlanga signed a contract with the Zvishavane side while his deal at the Gamecocks is still running.

Mhlanga signed an undisclosed contract with FC Platinum last Friday after misrepresenting facts to the platinum miners that he was a free agent.

Chicken Inn yesterday wrote to FC Platinum asking the ambitious Zvishavane side, which has been in a hunt for a central defender and striker, to stop the towering defender from training with them.

Tawengwa Hara, Chicken Inn’s secretary-general, said Mhlanga will face disciplinary action upon his return from FC Platinum.

He revealed that the central defender, who was part of the Warriors’ squad at the 2017 Afcon finals in Gabon, has a contract with Chicken Inn that expires on December 31, 2017.

“Lawrence Mhlanga is a Chicken Inn player whose contract expires in December. He signed a contract extension on March 30, 2016. There is a clause that states that in the event that both parties, the player and the club, agree terms six months before the end of his contract, then he will be with us until December 2018,” said Hara.

“As it is, we’ve written a letter to FC Platinum, which we’ve also copied the PSL and the player for future reference, asking FC Platinum to stop training with the player and send him back to Bulawayo. We’re not laying any complaint against FC Platinum because the player made them believe he is a free agent when he is not. He tried to do the same thing with South African (National First Division) side AmaZulu, who were very professional as they inquired about the player’s status before getting into any deal. Lawrence Mhlanga must come back and face the internal disciplinary hearing for his conduct,” Hara said.

He said if FC Platinum are keen on Mhlanga, they have to follow the “right channel”.

“As Chicken Inn, we don’t block or deny players from leaving the club, but things must be done above board. If FC Platinum are keen on having the player, they have to follow the right channel and engage Chicken Inn. If they want to deal with a free agent, then they have to wait until a time the player is given his clearance,” Hara said.

FC Platinum’s spokesperson Chido Chizondo confirmed signing the player under the impression that Mhlanga was a free agent.

She said they asked the player to come with his clearance after signing a contract last Friday.

Chizondo is hopeful that FC Platinum and Chicken Inn will find an amicable resolution.

“We’ve heard something like that (Mhlanga having a running contract with Chicken Inn), but unfortunately we’re yet to get official communication from Chicken Inn. We enjoy good relations with Chicken Inn and I’m sure the matter will be cleared amicably,” Chizondo said.

Mhlanga would have been the fifth player signed by FC Platinum this year. The ambitious Zvishavane side has already bolstered its squad with the quartet of Bret Amidu, Gift Mbweti, Talent Chawapiwa and Agrippa Murimba.

@ZililoR