Make it sweet — Chiefs tells Bosso

BULAWAYO Chiefs Football Club will allow Highlanders Football Club’s target Obriel Chirinda to leave the club only if a “reasonable and respectful” offer is tabled

Bosso are reportedly set to knock at Bulawayo Chiefs’ door after authoritative club sources told Chronicle Sport that Chirinda is Highlanders coach Baltemar Brito’s only target for the mid-season transfer window.

Brito, happy with his squad, told his superiors that should they fail to get Chirinda, there is no need to go to the market.

Highlanders, who are second on the table had asked Brito to give them his wish list heading for the mid season transfer window which opens on July 1 so that they make plans to engage the targets.

Against a background where Highlanders has been struggling to score, managing nine goals in 12 outings from goals by Calvin Chigonero a brace, a penalty converted by goalkeeper Ariel Sibanda other contributions from Stanley Ngala, Washington Navaya, Mbongeni Ndlovu, McKinnon Mushore, Peter Muduhwa and Melikhaya Ncube, there are concerns that lack of goals could cost Bosso the championship.

Highlanders are second on the table with 22 points, just a point behind leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars.

These points were amassed from five wins and seven draws.

However, Brito allayed lack of goals concern to his superiors, adding that they can challenge for the honours with the same players, with the only target being Chirinda.

It will be the third time for Highlanders to attempt to bring the 26-year-old former national Under-23 striker to their camp within two years. Bosso were beaten to Chirinda’s signature by Bulawayo Chiefs at the beginning of 2022 and tried to lure the stocky forward before the start of the 2023 season when The Ninjas were hit by a player exodus.

Senior players who included Kelvin Madzongwe, Perfect Chikwende, Hughe Chikosa, David Bizabani, Arthur Diego Musiyiwa, the Moyo twins, Elvis and Kelvin, Lucky Ndlela, William Mensah and Matripples Muleya left Bulawayo Chiefs, with some engaging the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (Fuz) so that they are released from the club which owed them salaries.

As Highlanders tried to lure Chirinda at the beginning of the year, they discovered that the player had a running contract with Chiefs. Chirinda signed a three-year contract when he joined Bulawayo Chiefs from Chicken Inn, with the club buying him a house.

Now that interest for the player has been rekindled by Bosso, Bulawayo Chiefs said they are open to negotiations.

“Even though nothing official has been brought to us by any club for any of our players, what we want to remind clubs is that if they are interested in any of our players they have to follow the right channels and engage us. We will never stand in the way of any player who wants to move. For those who have running contracts, only when reasonable and respectful offers come, will they be considered before their release,” said Bulawayo Chiefs spokesperson, Thulani “Javas” Sibanda.

He confirmed that on Chirinda, Highlanders only inquired about his services at the beginning of the 2023 season.

Should Chirinda, who has two goals this season manage to join Highlanders, he will compete for a starting place with Ngala, Chigonero, Navaya and Lynoth Chikuhwa.

Chirinda could just be the player Highlanders need. He has skill and pace, an all afternoon workaholic who may endear himself with the never easy to please Bosso fans.

Efforts to get a comment from Chirinda were not successful.

He was not reachable on his mobile.

— @ZililoR