. Mayuka
By NDINAWE SIMPELWE –
EGYPTIAN football giants, Zamalek, have, in a dramatic turn of events, decided to keep Zambian striker Emmanuel Mayuka at the club after earlier attempting to terminate his contract.
Zamalek chairperson Murtada Mansour reversed the decision to offload Mayuka after it emerged that the club would have to part away with US$800,000 should they terminate the striker’s contract.
But despite being given a lifeline to remain at the club, there is no room for Mayuka in the revised CAF Champions League list Zamalek has submitted to the continental body.
According to Zamalektoday.com, the decision was arrived at after two meetings between the parties on Sunday and late Monday night which were meant to discuss the termination of the player’s contract.
Zamalek was agitated with Mayuka’s late arrival to his base after returning from the festive holidays.
The club threatened to report Mayuka to FIFA for misconduct but later rescinded the decision after the player exculpated himself.
However, Zamalek made a u-turn when they disclosed that they had decided to terminate his contract as they were not satisfied with his explanation.
But on Monday evening, Mansour decided to let the player see out his contract as the club was not ready to pay US$800,000 for termination of his contract.
The club will further take sanctions on the player for reporting three weeks late without permission.
Mayuka joined Zamalek last year on a three and half year’s contract but has failed to make an impact with the club opting to leave him out of the 2017 Champions League team list.
Meanwhile, Zamalek were finalising the list for the CAF tournament yesterday for submission to the federation.
Zamalek had initially listed 21 players for the tournament and yesterday added five more players but still snubbed the Zambian striker.
The club still has an opening of four more players to make final list of 30 but have opted to leave it blank and add players later as it is becoming clear Mayuka may not be in the coach’s plans for the 2017 season.
