Silver hijack Wanderers on Vitumbiko Kumwenda
Airtel Top 8 Cup champions Silver Strikers have beaten Be Forward Wanderers to the signing of Blue Eagles versatile midfielder Vitumbiko Kumwenda.
Wanderers had been chasing Kumwenda’s signature for the better part of the transfer window that preceded the failed kickoff of the 2020/21 season in March.
However, the deal failed to materialise as Eagles demanded a K3.5 million fee to release the player.
Eagles Chairperson, Alexander Ngwala confirmed selling Kumwenda to Silver at a fee he declined to disclose.
Ngwala said Silver made a satisfactory offer for Kumwenda’s services, hence their willingness to release the player.
“We have indeed sold Vitumbiko to Silver because they followed all the procedures by writing us to request for the player’s services. Vitumbiko has been our player all along and we welcomed him back after the move to Wanderers failed. He is now a Silver Strikers player,” he said.
Silver Chief Executive Officer Thokozani Chimbali confirmed the development.
“What remains is for us to tie the loose ends. I cannot reveal the length of the contract but we have agreed personal terms with the player. What remains for now is the official unveiling ceremony.
“We opened talks with the player and agreed terms of his stay here. We are just waiting to have him here. We have paid Blue Eagles and everything is in place. We have concluded everything with the player and we might just as well say that he is now a Banker,” Chimbali said.
Kumwenda’s manager Amakhosi Jere said both Wanderers and Silver showed interest in signing the player.
“Vitu has been pursued by Wanderers all along. They made an offer which Blue Eagles rejected. Of course Vitu signed a pre-contract with Wanderers but things changed when Fifa directed that all players should have their contracts renewed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We therefore engaged Blue Eagles to re-sign Kumwenda. Silver then came forward to ask for the player’s services. Wanderers also made enquiries. So I am waiting to see which team will contact Vitu,” Jere said.
Early this year, Kumwenda tendered a resignation letter to Eagles and penned a three-year deal with Wanderers.
This was after Eagles and the Nomads failed to reach an agreement on the transfer fee.
Drama ensued as Eagles complained to Football Association of Malawi (Fam) about the manner the contract was terminated.
The policemen asked Fam to charge Wanderers with player tapping.
In a desperate attempt to resolve the matter, Kumwenda proposed a K1.2 million buyout for the remainder of his contract but Fam advised the parties to discuss the matter further.
The country’s football governing had then declared that Kumwenda remained an Eagles player.
Wanderers could not be reached for a comment on the matter as their General Secretary Victor Maunde did not pick our calls.
Kumwenda’s three-year deal with Eagles was due to expire at the end of the 2021 season.
