Chipolopolo defender Mathews Chabala has handed in a transfer request at Nchanga Rangers, the club has confirmed.
The former Zambia U-20 National Team defender has been linked with a move to Super League giants ZESCO United.
The club says it has since accepted Chabala’s request to leave and hence has been omitted from their preseason squad.
“Nchanga Rangers Football Club wishes to inform its supporters and partners that first team captain Mathews Chabala has made a transfer request to leave the Club. The Club has no intentions of stopping the player and has accepted his request to leave Nchanga Stadium.
Accordingly, Chabala has not been included in the squad for Nchanga Rangers’ pre-season preparations as head coach Robert Tembo and the technical bench seek to retain players who will be available to fight for promotion back to the FAZ Super Division during the forthcoming season.” Reads part of the statement from the club availed to the ZamFoot Crew.
Rangers revealed that they have been trying to negotiate a contract extension with Chabala for the last eight months but to no avail.
“The Club has been talking to Matthews Chabala with a view to extend his contract in the last eight 8 months, but the player spurned the Club’s improved offer befitting a Club captain.
A number of FAZ Super Division suitors for the player have approached the Club, but none has so far made a firm commitment to negotiate to sign Chabala, while the player informed the Club that a Super Division team had opted to hire him on a six months’ loan.
Nchanga Rangers Football Club is not keen on a loan move without the player first signing an extension because doing so would mean the Club completely loses out on its four-year investment in the player, if he runs down his contract to walk away as a free agent.”
Nchanga Rangers club president Shapi Shachinda says despite the club not wanting to stand in the way of Chabala they have made it clear to him that they need to recoup some of their investment in him.
“The club will not stand in the way of Matthews Chabala, but we have made it very clear to him that Nchanga Rangers F.C. should recoup some of its investments in him as a way of the player showing gratitude to a Club that has groomed him to fame,” he said.
“We have made our position very clear to our dear Captain whom we value so much that if he wants to stay, we surely want him to stay. Chabala has to decide before the current transfer window closes.”
“No one is bigger than Nchanga Rangers, no player, not even me – we all serve the interest of this legendary club and we have to ensure the interests of Bravo are protected all the time,” Shachinda added.
Chabala was part of the Zambia National Team side that won the 2023 COSAFA Cup in South Africa last month.
Chabala is an ungreatifil person. Someone should make him understand, I think is ilitarecy at play here.