Nomads take hunt to Nigeria
It seems Be Forward Wanderers are far from being done on the player-transfer market.
Having signed Japanese, Genki Nakamura, the Nomads have cast their eyes to Africa, eyeing five players who are free agents believed to be from Nigeria.
The free agents—Dennis Lawrence Ikph, Tony Henry Okh, Duru Mercy Ikenna, Alex Orotomal and Dominic Eaarafa- —can be signed outside the domestic transfer window, which closed Friday.
Wanderers’ General Secretary, Mike Butao, who has been telling the press that he would only comment after concluding all the signings, did not pick calls yesterday.
But a source told Malawi News that Wanderers have put the Nigerian players on a pending list of transfers with Super League of Malawi (Sulom).
“The office of the general secretary has been in touch with Jay-Jay Okocha for him to send the players to Malawi. There is some agreement, but I am not quite sure if all the five will sign for Wanderers,” he said.
Local transfer regulations have no quotas for foreigners, hence teams can sign as many foreign players as possible. In most countries, clubs can sign a maximum of five foreigners.
Sulom General Secretary, Williams Banda, confirmed that Wanderers have instructed the league to put the five players on the pending list of transfers.
“It is their right to get as many foreign players as possible. They submitted the names in time. What remains is for them to get the players’ ITCs [International Transfer certificate],” Banda said.
Malawi News has established that Ikph, Tony, Orotomal and Dominic last played for Nigerian side, Legos Athletico, whereas Mercy’s last employers were Neve Woseff.
The towering striker Orotomal also played for Sunshine Stars and is 22. The 21-year-old Duru, who had stints with Israeli clubs, recently underwent trials with Zimbabwe’s Dynamos.
The Nomads have also secured from DRC’s TP Mazembe a one-year loan deal extension for Luka Milanzi, while also securing ITCs for Jimmy Zakazaka and Ishmael Thindwa from their former clubs, Botswana Defence Force XI and Caps United in Zimbabwe respectively.
Wanderers are likely to have an entirely new-look squad as they have also signed Jaffalie Chande from Big Bullets, free agent Peter Wadabwa, Rafik Namwela and Ernest Tambe (Wizards) and Nenani Juwaya from Azam Tigers.
Some analysts have argued that the Nomads squad overhaul every season undermines the team’s coordination. Last season, Wanderers signed over 10 players.
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