Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
GIANTS Dynamos and CAPS United took huge steps to try and deflect pressure from the off-season player transfer market shocks when they unveiled highly rated Diaspora-based Zimbabwean talents Farai Mutatu and Kundai Benyu.
It was Makepekepe, who brewed a big shock when they announced they had brought back home United Kingdom-born Zimbabwean international Benyu on a two-year contract. Benyu arrived in Harare on Saturday evening.
CAPS United chief executive officer Morton Dodzo told Zimpapers Sports Hub that Makepekepe have adopted a new strategy to look outside the borders.
The Green Machine and the other giants, Dynamos and Highlanders, have been outplayed by new boys Scottland and Simba Bhora, who have been using their financial muscle to hoard to themselves all the best local talent ahead of the 2025 campaign.
“It is a fact we are competing with well-resourced teams and somebody was saying to me the Big Three risk going down because of that, and what are you going to do?” said Dodzo.
“But let me say, in most cases where there is a change in terms of the level of competition, you reorganise, regroup, and re-strategise.
“You will realise that all the best players on the market are being taken by the moneyed teams, so we have had to widen our catchment area as one of the strategies.
“It’s clear the competition for players on the local market is lopsided. Even the figures in the market are distorted. As a club, one of the strategise for survival is to try and identify and scout outside the country and bring them in.
“I think that’s one step that we have done amongst other strategies that we are going to apply. We have brought in Benyu, and the deal is complete. We also have some foreign players coming.”
Makepekepe could argue the Benyu signature was the biggest coup of the transfer season because of the profile the Zimbabwe international brings.
The 27-year-old midfielder has been unattached and is seeking to revive his football career since the expiry of his contract with ÍB Vestmannaeyja in Iceland in 2022.
Just a few seasons ago, the sleek midfield playmaker was among the best emerging talents in England where he cut his teeth at Ipswich Town before making his biggest career move to former Scottish champions Celtic as a mere 19-year-old in 2017.
At that time, he had also been linked with moves to Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, and Aston Villa and had previously been allowed to play for Spurs in a European youth tournament. Benyu has also played for Helsingborgs IF in Sweden.
Makepekepe have also roped in Congolese attacking midfielder Love Bissila Mabiala from AC Leopards of Congo and Ghanaian goalkeeper Stephen Odai Kwaku during the transfer window.
They are also expecting a Namibian player for trials during the pre-season training.
Makepekepe are looking to take their preparations a step up this week. Their foreign players, Kwaku and Cameroonian Manuel Joseph Mbollo, were expected in the country late last night. Congolese midfielder Mabiala will be delayed a bit because of the prolonged visa formalities.
They have also signed local players Tanaka Shandirwa and Harmony Nare from ZPC Hwange.
“I think the whole idea is that CAPS United have been trying to also fuse with foreign imports. We are trying to grow our branches in that strategy.
“We want the outside countries to also know about CAPS United. It’s a big brand. It has been known outside, and we want to maintain that. That’s the idea.
“In as much as we are also trying to bring talent from outside, yes, we know the cost. It’s ex-pensive to bring in a foreigner. We do appreciate the cost of maintaining and the cost of acquiring, but we have no choice but to make sure we strengthen our squad,” said Dodzo.
CAPS United lost former captain Godknows Murwira and Kingsley Mureremba to big-spending new boys Scottland, while goalkeeper Tonderai Mateyaunga moved to Simba Bhora.
Cross town rivals Dynamos have also not been sparred by the exodus that claimed about 12 first-team players.
DeMbare find themselves in a familiar pre-season crisis, but they were celebrating landing the biggest signing after agreeing to a two-year deal with striker Mutatu, who is returning home after a stint with LA Galaxy in the United States.
Born in Zimbabwe, Mutatu moved to the US in 2006 when he was about six years old. He has played most of his football in the United States, where he featured for Lansing, Michigan State, and Grand Rapids before making the Major League Soccer draft with LA Galaxy.
However, he has been unattached since the end of the 2022 season. Mutatu has been training with Dynamos for the past week.
“I am really joyful and excited with this opportunity to showcase myself, and I am raring to go. I am a striker, and I want to score. Fans should expect creative play and hard work. I want to play for the badge. Dynamos is the biggest club in Zimbabwe. This is a big move for me,” said Mutatu
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