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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
FORMER Highlanders and Caps United winger Gabriel Nyoni is unfazed by reports that he is on his way out of Maritzburg United just a season after joining the South African Premiership side.

The speedy winger, who was reported to be on his way out alongside Europe bound defender Siyanda Xulu, says he is focusing on enrolling for a law degree with a South African university as well as reclaiming his starting place in the KwaZulu-Natal based topflight side.

In June, football magazine KickOff reported that Nyoni, who is among a number of players expected to be offloaded at the end of the season.

“There are other three or four players whom the club is still discussing their futures with; Gabriel Nyoni is also among the players that are set to leave the club,” wrote KickOff.

Nyoni told Chronicle Sport that injuries plagued his stay at Maritzburg.

“I will let you know if anything happens,” said Nyoni. “Presently, I am still here at Maritzburg, still learning. I started about 10 games, made a number of appearances from the bench, but then I got a red card as I was getting back to form following an injury. To make matters worse, the person who replaced me has been doing well so before the break I was coming from the bench.

“At the end of the season I’ll summarise how my stay at Maritzburg was, but at the moment I’ve applied for admission at a South African university for a law programme. Whatever the case, I’ll be in South Africa and I’ll continue playing football.”

The winger is a holder of a marketing degree from Nust.

It is not clear if former Chicken Inn and Ngezi Platinum Stars forward Clive Augusto, who also joined Maritzburg last year, is among players that are also leaving the club.

Augusto has made just six appearances, four less than Nyoni.

Some South Africa-based Zimbabweans, whose future is also uncertain are the Bidvest Wits trio of defender McClive Phiri, winger Terrence Dzukamanja and central midfielder Edwin Madanhanga. Wits sold their franchise to Limpopo side TTM and it’s still not clear if the new owners will be willing to take the three on board. – @ZililoR