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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
THREE of the six players from Premiership side Bantu Rovers and Southern Region Division One League side Talen Vision have made the grade in Slovakia and the Czech Republic following a three-month trial stint.

The striking duo of 18-year-old Leeroy Munyorovi and DR Congo’s Patrick Kingambo (19) impressed at Czech Republic First Division side Frydek-Mistek and returned to Zimbabwe to finalise their visas.

Another player, whose permanent move to Europe is imminent, is 22-year-old midfielder Tawanda Muchaya, who is at Slovakia’s third-tier side SKM Nove Zamky.

Juma Phiri, Talen Vision’s manager, said while the trio of Muchaya, Munyorovi and Kingambo should be signing their contracts soon, FC ViOn Zlaté Moravce from Slovakia’s Supa Liga have requested for more time to assess Crispen Ncube and Njabulo Mpofu.

Phiri said a request to extend attacking left-footed midfielder Mbekezeli Sibanda’s trials had also been sent by another Slovakia third-tier side NSK Pichov.

“Negotiations for permanent moves for the trio of Muchaya, Munyorovi and Kingambo are underway and we are expecting feedback for the other three players (Ncube, Mpofu and Sibanda) at the end of May or early June. The problem Ncube, Mpofu and Sibanda encountered is that they took long to adjust to the Slovakia weather.

“They arrived in winter and it was very cold and the feedback we received is that they have just started to warm up to the weather hence their respective teams asking for an extension of their attachments.

“We should know their position by the end of the month or early June,” Phiri said.

Except for 23-year-old utility player Ncube, who is a Bantu Rovers player, the other five belong to Talen Vision.

Ncube was spotted by scouts from the Czech Republic during the inaugural Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Trukumb Mining Enterprises Top Eight tournament last year.

Austria-based football agent and Talen Vision partner Didier Kanku, who brought coaches from the Czech Republic and Slovakia’s topflight teams to Bulawayo for the inaugural Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Trukumb Mining Enterprises Top Eight Tournament, facilitated the players’ trials.

@ZililoR