Revealed: How Yanga SC failed to lure Kanda from arch-rivals Simba SC

Reports emerged Wananchi had approached the forward with the intent of giving him a better and longer contract

Yanga SC’s intense and secret pursuit of Simba SC’s star Deo Kanda looks to have ended abruptly.

Reports in Tanzania indicated Yanga had approached Kanda with the aim of signing him on a longer contract. 

Kanda arrived at Simba in 2019 from TP Mazembe on a one-year-long loan which was expected to finish at the end of the currently suspended season.

Reports further indicated Yanga tried to influence the forward to sign for them through their captain Papy Tshishimbi but their underhand dealings came to an abrupt end when Simba put a two-year deal for Kanda on the table.

Kanda, after some talks with Simba Chief Executive Officer Senzo Mazingisa which ended on Friday, is expected to put pen to paper on the new contract.

Kanda has had a good time at Simba and scored in his first Kariakoo Derby when Yanga and Simba fought to a 2-2 draw on January 4. Generally, he has scored seven goals for the Wekundu wa Msimbazi.

Kanda himself declared readiness to remain at the Dar-es-Salaam club although he did not rule out any chance of leaving.

“I have got a lot of offers from various teams but I would like to remain and go on playing in the Tanzanian league especially as a Simba player. But if anything happens I will make it public when that time comes,” he told Mwanaspoti.

“I know Simba fans love me and that is how we have lived together. This is why I am fighting to see that I stay for long here.”

Mazingisa reiterated Simba’s intent of tying down their stars whose contracts will end soon for longer.

“We understand that we have a huge responsibility of making sure we remain with the stars we want especially whose contracts are ending. We have no major worries so far as everything is going according to how we would want,” Mazingisa said.

“We are also working around what our technical bench wants.”

In a separate interview with Mwanaspoti, Yanga’s coach Luc Eymael stated it would be tough for them to lure a Simba player. He, however, is confident of getting better players to strengthen the squad for next season.

“Simba want to build themselves and for them to sell us any player like Kanda, for now, it would be very difficult. We are also working hard to build our team by signing players that are better and try to avoid some mistakes in the transfer window witnessed last season,” said Eymael.

“We are in the market and looking for a winger with great ability. We are confident we are going to get a better one even than Kanda so as to bring stiff competition in the team. 

“Such a player should also be in good shape to execute what the team wants from him.”

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