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Johannesburg. — KNOWLEDGE MUSONA’S agent has reiterated that he doesn’t believe any of the South Africa’s Big Three — Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns — can afford to pay the Warriors’ captain wages.
There has been renewed interest, in the Smiling Assassin, from Supa Diski’s heavyweights who are reported to be involved in a fierce battle, for his signature.
Musona, who turned 31 this week, is returning to Anderlecht, after his season-long loan with KAS Eupen, where he scored seven goals, in 24 league starts.
Eupen’s financial struggles has prevented them from making the deal permanent.
Musona has also attracted interest from the Chinese Super League, the PSL Big Three and two clubs in Belgium but is set to report to pre-season at the Jupiler Pro League giants.
Reports in Belgium suggest he was one of 14 players told, not to return to the club, but the player’s representative, Mike Makaab, has refuted the claims.
“He’s going back to Anderlecht, he’s being asked to join the first week of July for training, he has a one year contract left with them,” Makaab told KickOff.com.
“I’m not sure if he will be part of the squad, we’ll have to see how things unfold. The intention is to wait and see what Anderlecht want to do.
“There might be interest in South Africa, in the Middle East, could be interest in China and certain parts of Europe.
”But, the truth is we cannot be aggressively market Knowledge until we know exactly what Anderlecht wants to do.”
When pressed on whether the likes of Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns could match his wage demands, as one of the Belgian giants highest-earners, Makaab said: “I think it will be highly unlikely.”
Musona is believed to be earning around €950 000 annually at his current employers.
Meanwhile, the return of Stuart Baxter to Kaizer Chiefs could spin the pendulum in favour of veteran midfielder, Willard Katsande, getting another contract extension at the club.
Katsande’s current contract at Chiefs runs up at the end of this month but a lot will depend on Baxter, and what happens of the club’s CAF Champions League campaign.
Chiefs play the second leg of the semi-final, on Saturday, against Wydad Casablanca.
And, if they emerge aggregate winners, they will be heading for the once-off final against either Al Ahly or Esperance next month.
The date of the final, July 17, falls outside the expiry of Katsande’s deal, with the club, presenting a possible tricky situation for both the player and the team.
A model professional, who takes pride in playing with commitment on every occasion, the 35-year-old has suddenly found himself back in the mix since Gavin Hunt’s sacking at the end of last month.
Having mostly played from the bench under Hunt, he started the last two league games against Golden Arrows and TS Galaxy.
Last Saturday, the midfield workhorse put in a solid shift away at Wydad as Chiefs played with tactical discipline to grind out an historic 1-0 victory at the Stade Mohammed V.
That game in Morocco meant this was only the second time that the former Ajax Cape Town anchorman has played two consecutive games, from start to finish this season, having last enjoyed the same privilege, in November last year.
Katsande was amongst the top three players that Baxter used the most through that three-year long first spell in charge of Chiefs. — KickOff.com.
Online Reporter