JOHANNESBURG - Godfrey Walusimbi is awaiting his “registration card” to start playing for Kaizer Chiefs, according to club football manager Bobby Motaung.
The Amakhosi boss has told IOL Sport that a deal has been finalised between the defender and his Kenyan club Gor Mahia. Walusimbi, who can play as a fullback or centreback, was reported to have gone AWOL by Gor Mahia earlier this month and taken a flight to South Africa to meet with Chiefs officials about joining the club before the close of the transfer window on August 31.
Their chairman even claimed in a statement that his Chiefs counterpart (Kaizer Motaung) had phoned him to apologise for getting off on the wrong foot, accusing Chiefs of player tapping and threatening to take the matter to Fifa, who regard tapping as illegal. Motaung on Wednesday afternoon said that Walusimbi’s announcement as a Chiefs player was immeninent.
“We have had disucissions with the club and the player and have finalised a deal. We will be making an annoucement soon,” he said. “As soon as he gets his registration card he will play for Chiefs, that is where we are. There are no issues between us and Gor Mahia. No player tapping or anything like that. We were in negotiations.”
The Kenyan club were believed to have been asking for R3-million as their evaluation of the 29-year-old Ugandan international. Motaung would not say whether they paid the asking price, but appeared to confirm Walusimbi as a Chiefs player. Walusimbi will become Chief's second signing this week following the capture of Lebo Manyama on Wednesday.
@superjourno