Transfers window opens, top sides reinforce for title challenge

THE mid-season football transfer window officially opens tomorrow and will run for a month, with clubs being afforded an opportunity to beef up their squads.

Focus on player movements will be on topflight league clubs that will be reinforcing their sides in a bid to challenge for the title, finish in respectable positions or survive relegation.

First Division clubs should brace for raids from Premiership outfits that find it cheaper to buy players from the lower tier.

Some Castle Lager Premier Soccer League clubs have already signed players for the second half of the season and are waiting to submit names for licensing once the window opens.

Defending champions, FC Platinum, who also presently top the league table with 44 points and enjoy a six-point lead over second-placed Ngezi Platinum Stars, have already added striker Thomas Chideu onto their books.

Chideu was recently discarded by South African Premiership side Golden Arrows.

He initially trained with Highlanders on his return from South Africa and appeared set to join Bosso, but it seems his management team used the striker's training stint at the Bulawayo giants to bargain.

Strikers are in demand both in the Premiership and lower divisions.

Ngezi have also indicated that they will beef up their squad as they seek to return for the second half of the season stronger and challenge FC Platinum in the title race. They have been relying on winger Terrence Dzukamanja and attacking midfielders, Walter Mukanga as well Xolisani Moyo for goals.

Chicken Inn, who have already lost goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze to Baroka in the South African league, are hunting for his replacement.

The Gamecocks have also snapped up central defender Last Sithole from Bulawayo Chiefs. Chicken Inn are also reportedly interested in the Chiefs' pair of attacking midfielder Perfect Chikwende and striker Farau Matare.

Chicken Inn could lose left-back Divine Lunga and midfielder Innocent Mucheneka, who have been linked with South African moves.

Shurugwi-based team Nichrut have already roped in nomadic striker Rodrick Mutuma and defender Temba Ndlovu and will be hoping the duo will turn around their fortunes in their survival fight.

Bulawayo City, who are staring relegation, are in the hunt for a goalkeeper, with reports that they are parting ways with Takudzwa Ndoro, who skipped the trip to Harare for the game against Caps United claiming to be on his way to visit his mother. City have identified Chiefs keeper Kelvin Nyoni as a possible replacement.

City are also interested in former How Mine striker Tinashe Makanda, who has been training with them for a week.

Highlanders are hunting for a striker and have reportedly been offered their former goal poacher Prince Dube by SuperSport on loan. The former Zimbabwe youth international has been confined to the bench at Matsantsantsa, whom he joined in July last year.

Bosso could lose midfielder Nigel Makumbe, who is going for an eight-day trial stint at SuperSport.

Without sound financial power, Highlanders who are on a rebuilding exercise, could end up turning to their development side Bosso 90 to beef up the senior team.