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Nyasha Mushekwi

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
ZIMBABWE international striker Nyasha Mushekwi is racing against time in order to win two big battles that could define his professional career that has of late been blighted by injuries.Mushekwi is fighting to return to full fitness from a knee injury that curtailed his maiden dance with the Belgian Jupiler Ligue, cutting it short in March.

The former CAPS United hitman had been on loan to Belgian outfit KV Oostende but reverted to being a Mamelodi Sundowns player at the expiry of the loan stint.

Mushekwi has however, set his sights on a return to Belgium.

His manager Ralph Nkomo yesterday revealed that the big striker was now fighting two battles which he has to win inside the next two months.

“Nyasha is a few weeks away from being fit. He is working with a physiotherapist in order to get back to full fitness and he has got a few options available to him but he has to first complete the programme of regaining fitness.

“The transfer window will be closing within two months and there are two clubs that have shown an interest in him and one of them is the one which he was attached to,’’ Nkomo said.

Nkomo also indicated that Mushekwi could yet return to the Sundowns side for the 2014-15 season if coach Pitso Mosimane includes him in his plans.

It has however, emerged that Sundowns, who won the Absa Premiership title last season, are yet to clarify their position on the Zimbabwean international and return to Belgium looks more likely an opportunity for Mushekwi than a chance to feature alongside his countrymen — Khama Billiat, Esrom Nyandoro and Cuthbert Malajila at the Brazilians.

Sundowns also signed winger Kuda Mahachi from Chicken Inn at the start of the year but immediately loaned him to Highlanders.

The Brazilians are now likely to cash in on Mahachi’s impending move to top French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco, even before the CHAN poster boy has kicked a ball for them.

But with a limit on the number of foreign players each club can register, it would appear at the moment that Mushekwi’s chances of an immediate Sundowns return are remote.

The Brazilians are also likely to add more foreign players apart from their Zimbabwean pair of Billiat and Malajila, as they brace for a return to the African Safari when they will be representing South Africa on the Champions League. “The Belgium clubs have shown an interest in him and the representatives of the club he was at (KV Oostende) even came down for discussions with Sundowns but a final decision has not been reached yet,’’ Nkomo said.

“I will also be going to Belgium next week and I am sure the picture will become clearer when I return but obviously any team that he goes to in Europe it would be subject to him passing a medical that is why we have to get him fit first.” Mushekwi only scored twice in 16 league starts for Oostende, who ended the season in ninth — place on the 16-team log but it was his overall contribution in those 16 matches that could have convinced the Belgians that he is worthy investing in.

The 26-year-old striker, scorer of 14 goals in his debut season in South Africa in the 2010-11 season, is contracted to Sundowns until June 2015 but the Pretoria outfit have also indicated that they would not stand in his way for a move should he receive a good offer.