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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
BULAWAYO Chiefs attacking midfielder, Perfect Chikwende is among the players that have been roped in by Manica Diamonds ahead of the 2023 league season, if reports from Mutare are anything to go by.
Other players that are said to have joined the Gem Boys are Farai Banda from Black Rhinos, Trevor Mavhunga and Kudzai Dhemere from Dynamos.
Bulawayo Chiefs communications officer Thulani “Javas” Sibanda, however, said they are not in the know of a move involving Chikwende.
“Our stance as a club is that the news is all speculation, which is something that you will get a lot during this time. It’s that time of the season,” said Sibanda.
Sibanda did not delve into Chikwende’s contract status, but it is believed he is one of the players whose deal expires on December 31.
If the reports on Chikwende are true, this will not be his first move away from Bulawayo Chiefs. He was with the Ninjas for three years until 2019, when he moved to FC Platinum.
Chikwende later moved to Tanzania in January 2021, but struggled for game time. The transfer attracted some controversy after Chiefs demanded a share of the transfer fee that FC Platinum received from Simba SC.
Amakhosi Amahle argued that Pure Platinum Play should first pay them their share since the striker was regarded to be still on loan at the Zimbabwe champions, based on a temporary regulation brought in by the coronavirus pandemic.
But after the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (FUZ) intervened, Bulawayo Chiefs were forced to clear the player.
Chikwende was one of Bulawayo Chiefs’ key players during the just-ended season in which they won the Chibuku Super Cup and finished seventh, their best-ever league position since they got promoted in 2018. -@innocentskizoe
Online Reporter