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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
SOUTH African Premiership football side Marumo Gallants are facing an uphill task to keep in-form Zimbabwean goalkeeper, Washington Arubi.
The 35-year-old is out of contract this month and it has emerged a number of clubs in the DStv Premiership are tracking for his signature.
The seasoned goalkeeper’s stock rose significantly last season following his heroics with the club, previously known as Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.
The club switched to a new name recently following a change of ownership.
According to South Africa online sports news outlet, Soccer Laduma, Gallants have been in talks with the goalkeeper and the club is confident he will be part of their squad come next season.
“Washington is our player. That’s what I would say. Washington is staying. I don’t see him not staying,” communications manager, Rufus Matsena, told the Soccer Laduma.
However, other publications like KickOff.com have reported that Gallants are on the verge of losing the goalkeeper to competition.
According to Kickoff, negotiations between the Nedbank Cup champions Arubi are said to have stalled as he wanted to carefully consider his future.
Arubi made 33 appearances in all competitions for the Limpopo side last season and helped them secure their maiden CAF Confederation Cup slot by playing a starring role in the Nedbank Cup triumph.
Though the club is keen to extend the Zimbabwean’s contract, his agent Michael Ngobeni said at this stage it was too early to say where the player is headed next season.
“It will be premature for me to say exactly where he is going, you know, but of course there’s some activity going on,” Ngobeni told KickOff.com.
“Can you imagine what he has achieved last season? And you know the vacuum of goalkeepers in PSL, already you know that of course there will be a little bit of activity going on there because you know he will be a free player soon.
“So, we are not rushing anything. He will be with the national team soon, and after that we will check what’s best for him, you know.”
Arubi’s one-year contract with the Linpopo-based side is coming to an end next week.
He joined Gallants (formerly Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila) from SuperSport United and was key in the club’s survival and the side’s Nedbank Cup success story, which saw him being named Player of the Tournament.
Ngobeni, who orchestrated Khama Billiat’s famous move from Mamelodi Sundowns to Kaizer Chiefs, still refused to rule out the possibility of Arubi remaining with Gallants in the new campaign.
Online Reporter