Luka Milanzi’s efforts to revive his career at Mighty Wanderers might not work as TP Mazembe have reportedly demanded him back to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
His former club, Kabula United (formerly Escom United) chairperson, Fanuel Nkhono confirmed talking to Mazembe officials who want the striker to honour remaining four years of his five-year contract.
“He is tied to his contract. They cannot clear him. It is him who has jumped ship and they want him back. They say they have no problem with him. You don’t solve a problem by creating another problem. He signed the contract and he is supposed to know this,” Nkhono explained on Monday.
Milanzi joined Mazembe as a minor in 2010 and signed a five-year contract as a professional upon turning 18 last year. He was then despatched to Zambia’s Zesco for a loan spell which has since expired.
The former Malawi Under-17 captain said upon his return to Mazembe, after a season in Zambia with Zesco, there was no indication that they were interested in his services.
The 2010 joint TNM Super League scorer claims to not to have received his January salary and his efforts to meet management failed, hence returning home was the only option.
“If I have to go back, then they have to pay me signing-on fee. All these years, they never gave me. I would rather they release me for good instead of loaning me out again as they insist,” Milanzi explained.
Wanderers outgoing general secretary David Kanyenda could not be reached yesterday but team manager Chiyembekezo Zidana said they were interested in signing Milanzi.
“We are interested in him, but we need to be connected to Mazembe. We know he is still contracted to them, but he wants to leave due to some unfulfilled contractual obligations,” said Zidana.
According to Fifa regulations, a player cannot just walk out on a running contract unless there is a buy-out clause which another interested team can use to pay out the club that owns the player. That can only happen when the transfer window is open in June or January.
Milanzi’s manager, Andre Mtine, confirmed recently that the attacking midfielder is still a Mazembe player and that they are working on placing him on loan again to help him to return to form. Joseph Kamwendo also plays for Mazembe.
