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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
PREMIER Soccer League champions FC Platinum are waiting for Manica Diamonds to apprise them on midfielder Last Jesi’s reported move to Sudanese giants Al Hilal.

The attacking midfielder is heading to Al Hilal after his parent club Manica Diamonds accepted the Sudanese giants’ offer.

Jesi joined the Zimbabwe champions on a year-long loan alongside striker Stanley Ngala also from Manica Diamonds.

The pair featured for FC Platinum in the Caf Champions League group stages, with Jesi reportedly impressing Al Hilal in their encounter in Khartoum where the platinum miners lost 1-0 in January.

An Al Hilal official inquired about Jesi during the end of that match, indicating that they wanted to organise a trial stint for him.

It seems Al Hilal, where former Dynamos winger Edward Sadomba became a cult hero when he turned out for them a couple of years ago, have now opted to sign Jesi without trials.

According to reports, Al Hilal and Manica Diamonds agreed on a US$80 000 transfer fee.

FC Platinum spokesperson Chido Chizondo said: “We just saw news flying around that Jesi is heading to Sudan. We haven’t heard anything from his club Manica Diamonds and we will wait for them so that we discuss certain issues since he was on loan to us till the end of the year.”

Manica Diamonds administrator Owen Sango confirmed that the club had accepted Al Hilal’s offer, with the player set to jet out to Sudan to finalise personal terms.

“It is true that Al Hilal approached Manica Diamonds for the services of Jesi and we accepted the offer they tabled. I can’t divulge the value, but it’s a good offer and what is left is for the player to agree personal terms. Should the player accept the personal terms, he will then sign and that is when we can say the deal has gone through,” said Sango.

Jesi made an impressive debut for FC Platinum in January in a 1-1 draw against Egyptian giants Al Ahly before capping a fine club continental performance against Al Hilal.

He arrived at FC Platinum with the Congolese pair of Felly Mulumba and striker Ellie Ilunga as well as Silas Songani, who returned to the country after a stint in Denmark.

At the beginning of the year FC Platinum unveiled Soccer Star of the Year first runner-up Ralph Kawondera, who joined from Triangle United together with defender Donald Dzvinyai.

ZPC Kariba’s attacking midfielder Godswill Gwara, Hwange defender Nomore Chinyerere and Highlanders’ Denzel Khumalo are among other players that joined the Zvishavane club at the beginning of the year.

Pure Platinum Play released Devon Chafa, who is now at Ngezi Platinum Stars, Mkhokheli Dube, who retraced his footsteps to his boyhood club Highlanders, Wallace Magalane, who has joined Caps United, and striker Albert Bonde, who found a new home at Dynamos.

Veteran forward Charles Sibanda was also released and he joined Bulawayo Chiefs while Rodwell Chinyengetere went to Baroka in South Africa. — @ZililoR