Vita block Mbombo's AmaZulu move
More than a month after announcing the signing of DRC striker Kule Mbombo, AmaZulu are still waiting for the player to arrive.
|||Durban - More than a month after announcing the signing of DRC striker Kule Mbombo, AmaZulu are still waiting for the player to arrive.
And it doesn’t look like the matter will be resolved by tomorrow, which is the day AmaZulu expect the 20-year-old to arrive with his clearance.
According to the player’s agent, Bajani Mpindu, it is a case of DRC outfit, AS Vita Club – one of the giants of Congolese football – using their influence to block the player from leaving.
Mbombo shone for Vita when he scored home and away against Mamelodi Sundowns in April to knock the Brazilians out of the CAF Champions League on the away goals rule after a 2-2 aggregate result.
However, Vita were later kicked out of the tournament for fielding an ineligible player.
AmaZulu general manager Lunga Sokhela flew to the DRC to secure the striker’s signature, not from Vita but from Racing Club Kinshasa (RCK) which had loaned Mbombo to Vita.
“Vita are using their power and influence to block him from travelling,” said Mpindu from the DRC capital Kinshasa on Wednesday.
“He doesn’t belong to AS Vita, he belongs to RCK. Vita are only using their political power to frustrate him,” said the agent who previously brought the likes of Edson Minga (the Congo-Brazzaville winger) and Lelo Mbele (DRC striker) to AmaZulu.
The Durban outfit are confident that they had done the deal by the book. AmaZulu went as far as making space in their foreign quota to accommodate the speedy and powerful attacker by releasing Zambian forward Bornwell Mwape.
The international player was placed on transfer, but after he failed to secure a move, AmaZulu negotiated a settlement over the remaining year left on his contract.In the NFD, AmaZulu can register three foreigners.
They have already secured Zimbabwean midfielder Butholezwe Ncube and Ghanaian midfielder Samuel Darpoh. If they can afford to play the waiting game, then Mbombo will fill the third foreign slot. Veteran defender Marc van Heerden has also left AmaZulu.
The left-back transferred to Chippa United this week.
The Star