Oba deal collapses Obidiah Tarumbwa

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

HIGHLANDERS’ quest to re-unite with their former striker Obidiah Tarumbwa has reportedly hit a snag, with sources saying Bosso failed to match the player’s demands.

Bosso were targeting the 34-year-old striker, who turns out for ambitious Zifa Southern Region Division One League side FC Talen Vision, to bolster their front line.

Sources said Tarumbwa’s proposed move collapsed after Bosso and the striker failed to agree on personal terms.

“Look, Talen Vision cleared Highlanders to talk to Oba (Tarumbwa) long back, but it seems they failed to agree on personal terms. At Talen Vision, Oba is one of the highest paid players and he is getting paid in foreign currency. What Highlanders were supposed to do was match or offer a better deal. Oba weighed his options and the prolonged delay in finalising the deal made the striker stay put at Talen Vision,” said the source.

“He was willing to rejoin his childhood club, but as a family man, he had to consider his responsibilities and welfare. Unless Highlanders offer a better package than what he currently gets at Talen Vision, then there’s no way he will join Bosso.”

Besides Tarumbwa, Highlanders were also targeting veteran strikers Mkhokheli Dube and ex-Kaizer Chiefs forward Mitchell Katsvairo.

The duo of Dube (37) and 31-year-old Katsvairo have been training with Highlanders alongside former Caps United goalkeeper Chris Mverechena, 21-year-old Aces Youth Academy product Collin Mujuru, who was at Harare City last season, and Humphrey Ncube (27) from Bulawayo City.

Bosso are likely to lose out on their targets who have been training with the squad for about a month without contracts.

Highlanders’ spokesman Ronald Moyo said: “We can’t say the Tarumbwa deal collapsed because we never had a conversation with him. We read with dismay reports that he was training with us when he never pitched up. True, we made inquiries at his club, but he never came to our training.

“On the other guys who have been training with us with the hope of signing contracts, the technical team has made recommendations and what’s left are a few administrative matters. Please note that these are purely administrative issues that don’t involve our sponsors.”

Highlanders lost McClive Phiri, Denzel Khumalo and Patrick Musaka, whose contracts expired, but retained the bulk of their squad.

Bosso rivals Dynamos, Caps United, FC Platinum and Chicken Inn have been busy on the transfer market bolstering their squads, as they prepare to challenge for the 2020 title.

Highlanders last won the league title in 2006. — @ZililoR

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