Silver’s Babatunde deal flops

Nigerian striker Babatunde Adepoju’s move from Be Forward Wanderers to Silver Strikers has  failed due to disagreements over transfer fee payment.

Silver board chairperson Victor Madhlopa confirmed the development yesterday, but declined to give the reasons.

“Time was not on our side. We needed to hold thorough negotiations with all stakeholders. This could not be done adequately so the board of the club decided against pursuing the deal,” he said.

On Monday, Madhlopa was quoted in The Nation as having said the Bankers had completed the deal for last season’s league second top goal-scorer.

Reminded about his earlier declaration, he said: “It was nearly sealed.  Cancelled on the eleventh hour.”

Reports have it that Silver wanted to pay the transfer fee—believed to be around K8 million—later next month while the Nomads demanded instant payment.

Wanderers chairperson Symon Sikwese said he was not aware of the deal’s failure: “I am out of the country so I don’t have any details. When I come back it’s when I can get the details.”

On his part, Babatunde said he had already signed a contract at Silver and was baffled that the deal has fallen through.

“I am back at Wanderers where I started training today. I just want to enjoy playing football so I will put everything that happened behind me,” he said yesterday.

Babatunde said the transfer was not his decision, therefore, he does not have problems playing for the Lali Lubani Road outfit.

“I was only told to travel to Lilongwe to discuss personal terms. In fact, I am happy to remain at Wanderers. I love this club and their supporters,” he said.

“I don’t hold grudges against the leadership because I understand [it’s] their financial situation which forced them to sell me.”

The former Masters Security gangling forward confirmed that the collapse was a result of a transfer fee payment.

“They agreed on the money but how the money was going to be paid was the reason it didn’t work,” he said.