Courtesy of the Zambia Daily mail<\/p>\n
NKANA skipper Sydney Kalume has urged midfielder Julius Situmbeko to consider joining Kenyan Premier League champions Gor Mahia because they promised him a good deal. Efforts to get Situmbeko proved futile as his phone went unanswered.
\nThe Kenyan side has threatened to report Situmbeko to FIFA because the player failed to report at the club by December 27 as agreed in the contract.
\nKalume and Situmbeko shared a room during the Zambia national soccer team\u2019 outing to the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Senior Challenge Cup in Kenya.
\nKalume also refuted claims that he was a witness when Situmbeko was signing the contract.
\nHe, however, admitted that he was aware that Situmbeko got undisclosed amount of money from an official from Gor Mahia.
\nKalume alleged that Situmbeko asked for boots from Gor\u2019s manager in his presence.
\n\u201cIt happened that Situmbeko came with a piece of paper to our room which was indicating that the club had given him some money as he already signed on it. He also confirmed getting the money which I knew was for the same boots and I also signed as a witness,\u201d Kalume said.
\nGor Mahia were also interested in Kalume but he could not take the offer because he has a contract with Nkana.
\n\u201cGor is a good club with good money and it\u2019s only that I\u2019m committed with Nkana. But kuli uyu mwaiche<\/em> [to this young boy] Situmbeko, he should consider taking up the offer because those people are ready to buy off his contract at Power,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\nBut Situmbeko in an interview with supersport.com acknowledged signing a deal with Gor Mahia.
\n\u201cI signed the deal but Power Dynamos have refused to let me go. I agree I was paid my signing on free but I have requested to return it because the issue is going out of hand,\u201d Situmbeko was quoted by Superspoort.com.
\nOn Saturday, Gor Mahia secretary secretary George Bwana told Supersport.com that they will report Situmbeko to FIFA for double dealing.
\nBwana also accused Power of trying to hijack the deal.
\nThe club stated that the player was expected in Kenya on December 27.
\nPower secretary Ricky Mafunda rubbished the threat, saying any deal that Gor Mahia were alleging to have signed with Situmbeko should be considered illegal because the proper process was not followed.
\nBut Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) executive committee member Jeffrey Chipilingu said he is not aware of Situmbeko signing a contract with Gor Mahia.
\nChipilingu, who was delegation leader, said Situmbeko belongs to Power.
\n\u201cOn behalf of Power and FAZ, I want to state that Situmbeko didn\u2019t sign any contract with any club not even any other of the players that I went with. I was not approached by the club and I am very sure that the coach Patrice Beaumelle is also in the dark,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n