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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
AMBITIOUS Bulawayo Premier Soccer League outfit Chicken Inn have warned other clubs to back off from their prized possession, midfielder Innocent Mucheneka, who they say still has two years left on his contract.

Mucheneka, a 2018 Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year finalist, has been heavily linked with a move to Harare side Caps United.

Tawengwa Hara, Chicken Inn’s secretary-general, said they expect the box-to-box midfielder, who is also on the radar of a number of South African teams, including Maritzburg United, to report for duty tomorrow.

“We are starting our pre-season programme on Wednesday and we expect all the players to report for medicals on Wednesday. This includes Mucheneka, whose contract with us expires at the end of 2020,” said Hara.

“If ever there’s any team that is interested in his services or any other player who is in our books, they are free to approach the club and we will hear what they are offering,” he said.

Mucheneka was one of Chicken Inn’s outstanding players last season and is expected to play a key role in the 2015 champions’ aspirations to challenge for the title in the event that he doesn’t move to another club.

Chicken Inn have been busy bolstering their squad ahead of the 2019 season.

They have signed 24-year-old central midfielder Sipho Ndlovu from Bulawayo City and the new addition is capable of giving Mucheneka a good run for his money.

The Gamecocks have also brought on board central midfielder Brett Amidu (23), who was at Dynamos last season, Harare City striker Marlvin Gaki (24) and the attacking pair of Clive Augusto and Panashe Mutasa.

Augusto (24), a winger-cum-striker, joined Chicken Inn from Ngezi Platinum Stars, with attacking midfielder Mutasa (19) coming from Dynamos.

Chicken Inn, who finished third in the 2018 campaign behind champions FC Platinum and runners-up Ngezi Platinum Stars, have been signing “young” players in a bid to last the long Premiership race.

Joey Antipas, Chicken Inn’s coach, is on record as saying his side will be challenging for the championship and wants players with firepower to soldier all the way.

Inconsistency cost Chicken Inn in 2018, as they dropped points at crucial stages.

They will be releasing a number of players, especially those that saw little action last season.

— @ZililoR