Dembare battle player demand

Sport
SOME senior players could be on their way out of Dynamos because of high signing-on fees and salary demands.

SOME senior players could be on their way out of Dynamos because of high signing-on fees and salary demands.

The Harare giants are locked in discussions with key players whose handlers are asking very high prices.

The big cash demands could discourage DeMbare whose financial capacity has been depleted owing a reduction in sponsorship by their chief sponsors BancABC.

Chief forward Roderick “The Prince” Mutuma is believed to be demanding nothing less than US$10 000 per season in signing-on fees while he has pegged his salary at US$2 000.Dynamos are understood to have offered US$9 000 as signing-on fees, a figure the player and his management have deemed too little.

Tafadzwa Rusike is also said to have called for over US$5 000 for his singing on fees while his salary has been pegged between US$800 and US$2 000.

“Roderick has made his demands. He wants US$12 000 signing on fee and a monthly salary of US$2 000 for him to commit for another season.

Their manager (Edzai Kasinauyo) has since told DeMbare that all his players attract a singing on tag of not less than US$5 000 with a monthly salary ranging between US$800 and US$2 000,” said the source privy to the discussions.

Devon Chafa and Simba Sithole are the other players who are yet to agree new terms with DeMbare and are under the care of Gibson Mahachi.

However, with BancABC having reduced their sponsorship of Dynamos and Highlanders, the Glamour Boys are unlikely to give in to the players’ demands.

Only a compromise might see the players agreeing to new deals.“The problem that we are facing now is that DeMbare wants these players to accept money which is way below what they got when they joined the club in the first place and to make matters worse, far less than what they were getting last year which I think is not fair,” the source said.

Addressing the media during the unveiling of new players last Friday, Dynamos secretary general Webster Chikengezha said they were still talking to the players and their handlers.Chikengezha said they have explicitly told the players that they will only pay what their budget allows them.

“Our sponsors have made it clear that they will be reducing our budget for this year so we need to adjust and share the little that they give us. If the worse comes to the worst, then we will have to do with what we have,” Chikengezha said.

Meanwhile ZPC Kariba have made tough demands to Dynamos who have shown an interest in Obey Mwerahari. The power people have put a US 9 000 price tag on the defender but DeMbare are pushing on Mwerahari to free himself from the ZPC Kariba contract so that they can sign him in as a free agent.

Mwerahari had given the Glamour Boys an impression that he is a free agent but he still had a year remaining on his ZPC Kariba contract.

Dynamos secretary-general Webster Chikengezha said they will only sign him as a free agent.

“We have asked him to sort out his contractual obligations with ZPC Kariba. We will sign him only when he has a clearance. If he fails to obtain that, we will not take him.

He had told us that he is a free agent and we do not want to be dragged into the mud,” said Chikengezha.

A ZPC Kariba official alleged Dynamos had promised Mwerahari a US$500 kickback to entice him to commit to a deal with the Harare giants which culminated to a pre-contract.

“Obey is still contracted to us so we have asked Dynamos to pay in full US$9 000 for Obey. We know what was happening behind our backs. We know that he was offered US$500 to lure him to a contract,” said the official.

The official also revealed that the club had already finalised a new deal with 2014 Soccer Star of the Year second runner-up Limited Chikafa who has added another year in Kariba. “We are done with Limited. We are now left with the technical department but I can confirm no more players would be leaving the club,” he said.

Coach Saul Chaminuka is said to be under consideration by Triangle who are battling to agree with their first target Kelvin Kaindu and Biggie Zuze.Goalkeepers’ coach Tembo Chuma has also been linked with a move to the Lowveld