Simba, Mazembe agree 250m/- Samatta dealMore News
By DAILY NEWS Reporter, 15th April 2011 @ 12:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 145
SIMBA SC have agreed a 150,000 US dollars (about 225m/-) transfer fee for their striker Mbwana Samatta, who will cross over to the Democratic Republic of Congo's giants TP Mazembe.
The agreement to that effect was reached on Thursday night at the Movenpick Hotel in Dar es Salaam between Simba officials and TP Mazembe representatives.
An authoritative source within the Msimbazi street club said out of the amount, Simba will get 100,000 US dollar (about 150m/-), while Samatta will receive 50,000 US dollars (about 75m/-) as transfer fees.
"Simba and Mazembe have come to a gentleman's agreement over the transfer of Samatta," said the source.
The contract between the player at his new club will be signed in a week time in Lubumbashi after Samatta is through with his assignments with the national U-23 team ‘Vijana Stars' currently in Uganda for All Africa Games qualifiers and later Taifa Stars friendly in Mozambique.
Under the agreement, Mazembe will pay Samatta 5,000 US dollar (7.5m/-) in wages over the duration of his three-year contract at the Lubumbashi based club, apart from other benefits that would add up his package to 90m/- per year.
However, the source said the two clubs are yet to agree on the duration of Samatta's contract. TP Mazembe wants to sign a five-year contract with the player while Simba want it to be for three years.
But it was tentatively agreed that the contract will last three years. The revelation comes just two weeks after Mazembe, who are the four times and reigning African Champions dumped Simba out of the Champions League campaigns on 6-3 aggregate.
Samata scored one of the goals that Simba snatched at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam and was a real menace to Mazembe's defenders.
Despite consistent claims by both coach Patrick Phiri and Simba top leadership that Samatta would not be sold this summer, the size of Mazembe's bid proved irresistible for the former Premier League champions.
The funds are likely to go back into strengthening Phiri's squad for the next season premier league as well as Confederation Cup championships. Simba Chairman Ismail Aden Rage confirmed to the ‘Daily News' on Friday that the deal he described as ‘magnitude' has been reached.
Rage said that Mazembe have also agreed to pay Simba 25 per cent of a deal should the player be sold to a third club. "In fact we have also agreed on Patrick Ochan trial deal at Mazembe and if he succeed our club is poised to get more cash that will be spent on buying new quality players," he said.
In another development Rage said Ugandan prolific striker Emmanuel Okwi is set for trials at South Africa's giants Kaizer Chiefs. He dismissed as baseless speculations that the lethal striker is set to follow Coach Sam Timbe - his fellow Ugandan at Yanga.
"Okwi has a valid contract with Simba that will keep him here until 2014 but we have just agreed to let him go for trial in South Africa…. If he passes that will be a matter of negotiations," he said.