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Augustine Hwata Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE midfield hotshot Khama Billiat’s future at Ajax Cape Town has come to an end after the club revealed yesterday they will not be registering the Warriors player for their 2013/2013 season, at least for now. Ajax coach Muhsin Ertugral omitted Billiat from his squad and said the player has to make a decision soon if he wants to be part of the team for the coming season.
Biliat joined the Cape Town-based side in 2010 from Harare giants CAPS United and immediately made a huge impact as one of the most prized assets at the Urban Warriors.
As the former Aces Youth Soccer Academy’s stock continued to rise, it was matched by interest from European and fellow South African clubs that wanted to sign him.
Billiat has attended training camps with his team’s sister club Ajax Amsterdam and he has been to Russian giants Lokomotiv Moscow at their pre-season training in Solvenia.
Indications are that clubs from Belgium have also expressed a keen interest in the player as his future at Ajax Cape Town became uncertain by each day.
But the biggest hint that Ajax Cape Town are partying ways with Billiat, who joined them in August 2010, came yesterday when the club said they will not risk registering him for the season when he could be on his way out.
The Zimbabwean international is one of the most sought-after players in the transfer market, with both Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates strongly linked with a move.
South African football magazine Kick Off yesterday said Ajax said they had not yet received any official offers for the player.
But such is the likelihood of him leaving that coach Ertugral has decided against registering the player in fear of wasting one of the five allotted foreign quotas.
“I had a close chat with him this week during which I put it very clearly that I want him to stay.
“We all want him to stay at him Ajax. The ball is at his feet at the moment.
“We have passed the ball to him nicely, now he needs to take a decision,” said Ertugral.
Ertugral believes the temptation for Billat to leave the club remains visible for now.
“A player’s whose mind is not here won’t be 100 per cent for you. For this reason I made the decision to leave him out this weekend because if he does move on, we can’t have him registered and take up a foreigner space, so that responsibility we have taken,” said the coach.
Although Ertugral has left Billiat out of the team for this weekend, he told Kick Off that he greatly values the player and has pleaded for him to stay.
“I’ve also put a lot of pressure on management to make him stay. He is a fantastic and valuable player, but we’ll see … there are also other elements in South African football which we cannot get over.”
Even Ajax Cape Town boss Ari Efstathiou is not certain if Billiat will remain at their club.
“There’s been a lot of interest from everywhere, there’s also been some discussions about moving overseas, but at the moment there have been no official offers.
“Khama must tell us first if he wants to leave, then we will consider offers,” he says.
Former Ajax Cape Town player Edzayi Kasinauyo, who is managing Khama, yesterday told The Herald that Khama still has a contract with the club, at least for now.
“The club is just taking a precaution in case they register him then the next thing he moves on. He still has a valid contract which should be coming to end soon.
“Right now we want to weigh what’s good for him and then we will make decision. I hope we should have a proper position in two days,” said Kasinauyo.
While Khama’s future at Ajax remains under a big cloud, Kausinauyo said the player has remained focused on his career.
“I have been talking to him this morning and he is not affected by all that is happening around him,” said Kasinauyo.
Online Reporter