Fosa Juniors to stop Andrianarimanana’s move to Kaizer Chiefs

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Friday Jun 29, 2018. 11:00

Although Kaizer Chiefs have announced the signing of Madagascan midfielder in Andriamirado Andrianarimanana, his club Fosa Juniors has disputed the signing.

The Malagasy side said they are still waiting for contact from Amakhosi over the transfer of their playmaker, club spokesman Ando Harivola has told SowetanLIVE.

However, the South African Premier Soccer League giants believe there is no need as they followed all the right channels in signing the player.

Chiefs unveiled the payer last week ahead of the new 2018/19 Premier Soccer League season and football manager Bobby Motaung said the player was a free agent.

“We knew that some people from Kaizer Chiefs spoke directly to the player [at the recent COSAFA Cup] about a transfer and we said to him‚ ‘OK‚ we cannot keep you here‚ we know for your career it is good to be at a big club like Kaizer Chiefs’‚” Harivola said.

“But we said to him‚ tell the Chiefs people that they should get in contact with us and we can work on a proposal.

"We heard nothing‚ and then even wrote an email to Chiefs‚ telling them that we are open to talks if they want to sign the player. Still to this day we have not had a response.

“Then we saw on the club website that he had been signed. We asked the player‚ how is it possible that you are now a player for Chiefs? Have you signed any contract?

"He said he had not signed a formal contract‚ only a letter which was a proposal.

“But we will keep our word to the player‚ who has a contract with us until 2020.

"If Chiefs come with a transfer proposal we will listen to them. For our club‚ it would be a great honour to see one of our players in the South African league‚ but we must follow proper procedure in terms of transfers.”

On the other hand, Chiefs have argued that the Madagascan league is not a professional one‚ and as such Dax was free to sign with them as an amateur.

“There are now five clubs in Madagascar that for the past three or four years have been giving a salary to their players so that these players can be professionals‚" Harivola said

"They only work in football‚ they don’t have jobs outside of the game‚ so it is our responsibility to give them salary.”

Moreover, Motaung refuted the claims by the club, saying they have done everything above board.

“The transaction was done properly and above board and if they have a problem they know the procedures to follow,” said Motaung told the Citizen.

“We have signed the player. He was a free agent and doesn’t belong to any club.”