FORMER Dynamos duo of Trevor Mavhunga and Ralph Kawondera is reportedly on its way to Manica Diamonds, with the pair set to officially join the club this weekend.
A source told NewsDay Weekender Sport that the two have agreed in principle to join the Ngoda Boys and are expected to sign their contracts this weekend ahead of the start of the team’s pre-season training on Monday.
The source said Mavhunga, who rejected an improved deal offered by Dynamos, will sign a two-year contract, while Kawondera has been given a one-year deal.
The former Soccer Star of the Year finalist was one of the seven players whose contracts were not renewed by the Harare giants when they expired last month.
No official comment could be obtained from Manica Diamonds, but information gathered shows that the two former Triangle and Dynamos stars are part of a list of 10 new players expected to arrive on Monday to work under coach Jairos Tapera.
Tapera, who replaced Johanisi Nhumwa at the Manicaland-based side late last season, has gone on to raid his former club Triangle United of five players, who have already joined him.
He managed to snap up all of Triangle’s top performers from last season when the club finished a respectable sixth position on the log table.
They include striker Donald Ngoma, who was the club’s top goalscorer with nine goals.
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Hard-running winger and the club’s fan favourite Gerald Bhero is also heading to Mutare, and so is defender Tawanda Chisi, goalkeeper Godfrey Chitsumba and Kelvin Gwao.
Manica Diamonds have also signed goalkeeper Tedius Baye, who is joining from promoted side Green Fuels.
He was voted the best goalkeeper in the Eastern Region Zifa Division One last season.
Midfielder Panashe Mutasa and Bukawayo Chiefs’ marksman Perfect Chikwende are also understood to have signed contracts with Manica Diamonds.
Black Rhinos captain Farai Banda is believed to have signed a two-year contract and will fight for the left-back position with the equally talented Brian Chikwinya.
“We are almost done with our business in the transfer market. We expect most of the new players to be available when we start our pre-season preparations on Monday. We will be left with just two slots to fill. We are not in a rush to fill those. We want to train first and see the areas that need further reinforcements, but otherwise we are happy with the squad that has been assembled,” a source said yesterday.
Manica Diamonds are looking to improve from their performance last season when they finished 10th on the log standings.
They started the campaign well and at one point, looked like they would run away with the league title.
But a dip in performance at the back end of the season saw them dropping points freely in a performance which cost Nhumwa his job with five rounds of matches remaining.
In the matches that Tapera took charge, he managed one win, one defeat and three draws.
The club finished with 45 points, a massive 30 points behind league champions FC Platinum.
