Premier South Africa League (PSL) side Chippa United are facing a huge battle in their quest to hang on to the new first choice goalkeeper of the senior national team of Nigeria Stanley Nwabali, OwnGoalNigeria.comunderstands.
He only joined the PSL side in October 2022 and only managed to play nine games in his first season at the club with Namibian goalkeeper Lloyd Kazapua preferred ahead of him.
This season he was worked his way to the role of first choice of the team with seven clean sheets in 15 games. A form that earned him a spot in the Super Eagles squad for the AFCON, he has displaced Francis Uzoho as the first choice.
Nwabali has caught the eyes in the first two games of the senior national team of Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations, including yesterday’s clean sheet against the host of the tournament.
His performance for Chippa and now at the AFCON has made him the target of a host of clubs, particularly Belgium side Union Saint-Gilloise. Yesterday there were talks of a team from Saudi Arabia joining the quest to lure him from South Africa.
Chippa United are now faced with the prospect of his possible departure but cashing in on him isn’t feasible now with the club currently under a transfer ban from FIFA prohibiting them from signing any player from three consecutive windows starting from the 14th of November 2023.
The ban is due to their issues with Tanzanian defender Abdi Bandi. The ban will run till January 2025 if the issue still remains unresolved. It means even if Nwabali is sold the cash can’t be used to strengthen the team based on the present situation.
One of the biggest challenge they will likely face is if the 27 year old decide to push for a move to a top team in Europe or go for the cash on offer in Saudi Arabia to make the most of his new status as the first choice of Nigeria.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman
