Zimpapers Logo

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter

HIGHLANDERS’ defender Peter Muduhwa’s proposed move to Sudan has collapsed after facilitators were angered by lack of “honesty” on his part after learning that the player has an agent on the eve of his departure for Sudan.

Muduhwa was supposed to leave Bulawayo for Harare to get his Covid-19 test yesterday morning and also pick up his visa before flying to Sudan.

However, by midday yesterday, Muduhwa’s handlers and the club were trying to resuscitate the deal, with Bosso vice-chairman Modern Ngwenya reportedly trying in vain to convince agent George Deda to reconsider.

Deda was at the forefront of organising the move.

The fringe Warriors’ defender had been linked with a move to a top unnamed club in Sudan.

Al-Merreikh, Al Hilal, Al Ahly Shendi, Al Khartoum SC and Hilal Al-Obayed are the top Sudanese.

A source privy to the collapsed deal said Deda and his partners, who also facilitated the Azam FC deal for Prince Dube as well as that of the FC Platinum pair of Silas Songani and Last Jesi to Sudanese giants Al Hilal, were “surprised” to learn that Muduhwa was under Gibson Mahachi’s stable on Monday morning.

Deda reportedly started working on Muduhwa’s deal three months ago by contacting Bosso, inquiring his availability.

Muduhwa had been asked if he had an agent when the deal was still in its infancy, and he had indicated that he had none in the presence of his club’s representatives.

The source said Muduhwa only admitted having a “personal manager” Siphambaniso Dube, director of Mpopoma’s Ajax Hotspurs where the defender played his junior football.

Deda notified Highlanders and Dube that the deal had collapsed after receiving a call from Mahachi on Monday morning.

Deda felt “robbed” as this was the same episode that played out when he was facilitating Prince Dube’s move to Azam in Tanzania.

“Muduhwa’s move to Sudan has collapsed. The guys who were organising the deal are the same who facilitated Prince’s move to Azam. They are not happy that there has been lack of honesty in how the matters involving Prince and Muduhwa have been handled. Remember, when negotiations were being done for Prince, he had said he didn’t have an agent, but when he was about to travel, boom, Mahachi surfaced. And now Mahachi has appeared again, so the guys have dropped the deal. It’s a matter of once bitten, twice shy,” said the source.

The source said the transfer fee and Muduhwa’s personal terms had been agreed prior to yesterday’s development.

The player’s personal manager Siphambaniso Dube said he was equally shocked to lean that Muduhwa had signed with Mahachi.

“To be honest I’m at loss for words because we had agreed that nothing will be signed until we finalise this deal. When I asked him (Muduhwa) he said he signed with Mahachi two weeks ago. We’re trying to get the two agents (Deda and Mahachi) to find common ground for the player’s sake,” he said.

Highlanders chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube said players are the ones who advise them on their representatives.

He was hopeful that the deal would sail through, although Deda was adamant Muduhwa’s move had collapsed.

“That deal (Muduhwa’s move) is off,” said Deda, who is still in Khartoum where he accompanied Jesi and Songani, who left the country on Friday to complete their moves.

Mahachi declined to comment on the matter. – @ZililoR