Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi, Chairman of South African Premier League side Chippa United, has disclosed the reasons behind the club’s decision to block Nigerian goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali from transferring, despite receiving several offers. The Nigerian international recently signed a three-year contract extension with Chippa United, despite strong interest from clubs both within and outside South Africa.
Mpengesi confirmed that Kaizer Chiefs and Amazulu were among the teams pursuing Nwabali. However, the negotiations didn’t result in a deal. In his comments, Mpengesi revealed that while talks with Kaizer Chiefs progressed, the club ultimately signed another goalkeeper, leaving the potential transfer on hold.
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“For Kaizer Chiefs, we were even going to give them Nwabali, and the price was not even that high,” Mpengesi said. He explained that Chippa United prioritized the goalkeeper’s career, as playing for a major club like Kaizer Chiefs would have been a significant move.
The situation with Amazulu was different, with Mpengesi criticizing the club’s offer as insufficient. “Amazulu were offering peanuts. They wanted us to give them Nwabali for that amount, and that was a disrespect,” Mpengesi stated. He emphasized that the low offer made it impossible for Chippa United to accept the deal.
Nwabali’s decision to remain at Chippa United, despite the offers, demonstrates the club’s commitment to keeping the player and ensuring he continues to grow within their ranks.
