No Belgium deal for Bill?

Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter

IT’S less than a week before the Belgian football transfer window closes.

And Bill Antonio is still in the country.

His club Dynamos have not been officially contacted by suitors KV Mechelen from the Belgian top-flight.

The 19-year-old could be forced to wait a bit longer before his dream of playing in Europe can come to fruition.

He attended and passed an audition with KV Mechelen early this month but there are some grey areas that need to be cleared before everything is formalised.

And KV Mechelen could be contemplating taking the boy in the next transfer period in January when he would have gained some solid experience at the top level.

Although Dynamos chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa was not answering his phone between Sunday and yesterday, a source in the Dynamos executive revealed that the club had not been contacted by KV Mechelen as yet.

“What we all know is that Bill Antonio passed the trials and we were all informed, including his agent, Pat Jefferson.

“However, we are still waiting for a formal letter which will allow us to kick-start talks with KV Mechelen.

“You know Bill Antonio is on loan at Dynamos from Prince Edward Academy whom we work closely with,” said the source.

“Those are some of the logistics which we will also have to talk about when the team formally put their offer on the table.

“We are told the Belgian side are keen to sign Bill Antonio but then they are yet to come to us. That could mean he is not yet a priority and he could be considered in the next transfer window in January 2023.

“But we are keeping our fingers crossed that Bill Antonio will go even this week depending on the logistics involved. But practically, maybe, we will have to work with the January window.”

Antonio reportedly sparkled during a three-week trial stint with the Belgian side scoring in all the three practice matches specifically arranged to assess him.

He is reported to have shown huge potential during the assessment period after which he was informed, together with his agent, that he would be formally contacted to confirm he had passed the trial.

But, as things stand right now, Antonio will have to summon his maximum energy to help Dynamos win the league title.

The Dzivarasekwa raised winger was the toast of coach Tonderai Ndiraya’s side in the early stages of the season where Dynamos led the standings for months.

He provided the team with two assists and scored thrice as he threatened to take the league by storm during that period.

However, he has since withdrawn his head back into his shell with a string of uninspiring performances over the past seven weeks.

Blessed with speed but a bit shot on technical prowess, Antonio was infamously red-carded in the Battle of Zimbabwe against Highlanders at Barbourfields two months ago for a crude challenge on defender Andrew Thandi.

Antonio has since then seen the intensity he introduced himself with in the league slowly going down.

But he could be forced to re-energise as the league marathon, with only nine games from the finish line, gets tougher.

The teenager has one international cap, won in the 2022 World Cup qualifier against South Africa in Johannesburg last year.

But former Warriors coach Norman Mapeza dropped him from the African Cup of Nations squad which did duty in Cameroon early this year.

Dynamos need him as they push for the title while he also needs Dynamos to polish on the flaws as he prepares for a possible move to Europe.

Dynamos are six points behind leaders FC Platinum and with nine matches still to be played, twists and turns cannot be ruled out and the Glamour Boys could end up being the beneficiaries if they keep their eyes on the ball as demanded by Ndiraya.