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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
CHICKEN Inn will, before the mid-season transfer window closes on July 31, offload veteran striker Mkhokheli Dube who saw little action in the first half of the Premiership season. The former Bosso forward, who played in the United States’ Major League Soccer (MLS) for New England Revolution and Chicago Fire as well as South African Premiership side AmaZulu, will open a slot to be filled by a yet to be announced mid-season signing.

A source said Dube was informed about his status at the Gamecocks last week and is contemplating returning to the United States.

“Mkhokheli is aware of Chicken Inn’s plans to release him. This is despite the fact that he has been working very hard at training. There were rumours that the club wanted to loan him out to Bulawayo Chiefs, but Mkhokheli is contemplating returning to the US as opposed to joining the lower league,” said the source.

Dube, who turns 32 next month, had an illustrious career at MLS side New England Revolution where he spent three years between 2008 and 2011, scoring 14 goals in 72 appearances.

In his first season at New England Revolution in 2008, the speedy striker was named a rookie of the year finalist and also won the SuperLiga Championship in the same year.

Dube then had a brief stint with Chicago Fire before packing his bags for Durban-based side AmaZulu where he penned a three-year deal in 2012. The coastal side released him six months into his contract after the arrival of new coach Graig Rosslee.

The former national Under-20 striker then joined Chicken Inn and was in his third year with the Gamecocks.

Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas has on numerous occasions been quoted indicating that he is hunting for a forward player to improve his attacking options.

The Gamecocks wanted Bulawayo Chiefs’ striker Ishmael Wadi, but gave up on the player after Highlanders moved to sign the speedy forward.

However, Wadi’s move to Bosso fell through after Chiefs failed to agree terms with the Bulawayo giants.

Antipas, the 2010 championship winning coach with the now defunct Motor Action, on Monday hinted that Dube could be on his way out when he revealed that a veteran forward would make way for a mid-season signing.

“Obviously I’m still looking forward to getting a player, who will give us another attacking dimension. Should we be able to get an energetic player, who will fit into our system, then we’ll release one veteran. I can’t say the name of the veteran we’ll part with until such a moment when we’ve secured the services of the player we intend bringing in,” said Antipas.

Dube just happens to be the only veteran attacker at Chicken Inn.

In other transfer news, Highlanders have recalled utility player Peter Muduhwa from his loan spell at Chiefs.

Chiefs, who are vying for the Southern Region Soccer League title, however, feel Bosso came hard on them after Wadi’s failed move to the Bulawayo giants.

Chiefs’ coach Thulani Sibanda said Muduhwa informed them he had been recalled by Bosso and did not train with the ambitious first division side on Monday.

“I think we’ve done well in terms of developing Muduhwa as Chiefs. He’s a marvellous player, who can add value to any squad. However, we feel Highlanders didn’t act in a professional manner as the player was recalled without any official communication. We’re not bitter, but I think in future there’s need to make things formal because one gets a feeling that maybe this has been done to spite us for the failed Wadi move,” said Sibanda.

“We weren’t at fault with regards to Wadi’s failed move. It’s them who failed to convince their players to join us. It’s not true that we demanded Felix Chindungwe. The players, who were part of the exchange deal, were Valentine Ndaba and Ozias Zibande. We asked about Chindungwe after reading in the press that he was among players to be released, but we got to learn that he hadn’t been playing because of disciplinary issues.”

Besides Muduhwa, Highlanders, who parted ways with Welcome Ndiweni, Simba Sithole and the Ajax Cape Town-bound Thomas Chideu, have brought in 18-year-old Obert “Adebayo” Tafira, a former Prince Edward High School striker.

The speedy teenage forward impressed after a two-month assessment period with the Bulawayo giants.