South African club Chippa United have provided more insights on the transfer saga around Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali.
Siviwe Chippa Mpengesi, the chairman of Chippa United, has finally addressed the swirling rumours surrounding the potential transfer of Super Eagles goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali during the summer window.
Nwabali, who rose to prominence after his excellent performance for Nigeria at AFCON 2023 in Côte d'Ivoire, had been the subject of intense transfer speculation.
12:12 - 15.09.2024
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The 27-year-old shot-stopper's impressive display, which included three clean sheets and several record-breaking performances, helped guide Nigeria to the final against hosts Ivory Coast.
Although the Super Eagles ultimately fell 2-1 in the final, Nwabali's stock had risen considerably.
Following that performance, reports suggested interest from various clubs worldwide, with South African giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates among the rumoured suitors.
However, despite the buzz, Nwabali remained with Chippa, prompting questions about the club's valuation of the player.
According to KickOff, Mpengesi dismissed claims that he had demanded over 3 billion Naira (approximately 40 million Rand) for Nwabali.
The Chippa United boss revealed that he was actually willing to sell to PSL rivals Kaizer Chiefs for less than 8 million Rand.
"It was never about the price," Mpengesi stated. "There were two teams who were interested, one of them was AmaZulu, but they were offering peanuts."
He went on to explain that there were indeed talks with the Chiefs before the end of the season, but these discussions cooled after the Chiefs signed another goalkeeper.
Mpengesi emphasised the club's consideration for Nwabali's career progression: "For Kaizer Chiefs, we were even gonna give them [Nwabali], and the price was not even that high. We were more looking at the interest of the player, you know, he was going to play for a big club."
The chairman expressed frustration with the reported 40 million Rand price tag, calling it "nonsense" and "a lie." He even suggested that Chippa United would have charged less than the 8 million Rand that Kaizer Chiefs reportedly paid for another goalkeeper.
Mpengesi also addressed interest from AmaZulu, describing their offer as "peanuts" and a "disrespect," revealing that AmaZulu wanted both Nwabali and Eva Nga for a low price.
This clarification from the Chippa United boss sheds new light on the summer transfer saga surrounding Stanley Nwabali.
It appears that while there was genuine interest in the Nigerian goalkeeper, a combination of factors including pricing, club preferences, and respect for the player's career trajectory ultimately led to Nwabali staying put at Chippa United.