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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
MOST Premiership clubs have indicated their desire to strengthen when the mid-season transfer window opens on Saturday.

Ambitious Zvishavane side FC Platinum became the first club to announce its mid-season signing in veteran striker Takesure Chinyama, who turns 35 in September.

Chinyama has been brought in to bolster the strike force of the platinum miners, who are chasing a maiden PSL title.

The big striker joined FC Platinum from Polish Division 3 club Plotorowk L.Z.K.S where he scored 26 goals in the just-ended season and could play his first game for the Zvishavane side against Ngezi Platinum Stars at Baobab Stadium in Mhondoro on Saturday.

Second-placed Chicken Inn said they are looking to replace defender Teenage Hadebe, who left for Kaizer Chiefs on Tuesday, and midfielder Tafadzwa Kutinyu, who is heading to Tanzania to join Singida United.

“We had left a slot for Ali Sadiki and I’m sure he will be joining us soon. Obviously having lost Teenage and Kutinyu, we have to find their replacements. I’m happy with our defence that has only conceded five goals and I’ll get a couple of players to fill the five development slots from our juniors,” said Rahman Gumbo, the Chicken Inn gaffer.

How Mine said they have a single slot, which they are still undecided about.

“Mid-season is tricky because it means you’ll be signing a player who has been discarded by another team. We’ve got one slot and another may arise because we’ve got a player who was injured and is unlikely to play this season. We’ll sit down and decide,” said How Mine coach Kelvin Kaindu.

Highlanders’ coach Erol Akbay said his priority is to get a left-back.

Bosso only have Honest Moyo, who is away with the national team at the Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa.

“Our problem is on the cover for our left side of defence. I’m happy with the midfield and strikers. We create chances and what we need is our strikers to score those chances. I think basically the problem with strikers is not only at Highlanders because other teams are also keen on getting strikers,” said Akbay.

The Dutchman defended the foreign trio of Equatorial Guinean striker Obiang Esono and the DRC pair of Yves Ebabali and Tambwe Kalunga, who are struggling to fit into the team.

“They’re not going anywhere. To me they’re not foreigners because two of them (Ebabali and Kalunga) have been playing in this country for some time, while Esono is waiting for his papers, which I hope will be ready for the second half of the season. We registered them because I wanted a different style for our attack,” said Akbay.

Kalunga and Ebabali have each made less than three cameo appearances in 14 games, something that is worrying because they are failing to justify their presence at the Bulawayo giants.

Being foreigners, they were expected to be exceptionally good and command first team jerseys, but they are instead blocking slots for other deserving players.

Hwange gaffer Nation Dube said: “I’m looking for a striker, an experienced forward who will bury the chances we create because the youngsters we have need more time.”

Mandla Mpofu of Bulawayo City indicated that he was also looking for a striker.

“I might add one or two players, meaning we will be releasing some players. There is a striker we’ve identified and we’re negotiating for his signature. We might also add an attacking midfielder,” Mpofu said.

League anchors Tsholotsho FC, who brought in free agent strikers Thabani Moyo and Nqobile Mpofu, are still searching for a gunner.

Tsholotsho chairman Mlamuli Phiri said they have already parted ways with two players, defender Felix Chindungwe and striker Mostafa Ponyera, who asked to be released.

Bantu Rovers will today hold a technical meeting to decide which players to release.

“We will add about three players with Premiership experience and promote two from our under-18 side. After our Thursday technical meeting, we will know whom we are releasing,” said Wilbert Sibanda, the Rovers’ general manager said. — @ZililoR