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Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
FORMER Young Warriors forward Misheck Mburayi is closer to sealing a deal with CAPS United after impressing the coaches during two weeks of trials. Mburayi trained with Dynamos last month but moved to Makepekepe after finding no joy with the champions.

The forward, who had previous Premiership experience with Motor Action, Triangle and Harare City, was accommodated by the Green Machine and has been lined up for a possible deal.

A CAPS United official yesterday said Mburayi is one of the players highly likely to be involved in their campaign this year together with other former Young Warriors players Carlos Mesi and Charles Mutero.

The official said they have finalised a provisional squad of 33 members in which they retained only a third of the players from last year’s squad.

The bigger faction of the new-look squad comes from signings from other PSL clubs as they went for free agents while another section has been drawn from the products of the extensive trials held by the club last month.

The PSL has set next Friday as the deadline for all clubs to submit their squads for administration purposes.

The transfer window, nevertheless, will close on March 25.

“The coaches have been working very hard to assemble a competitive team. We now have our squad and I can confirm Mburayi and Mesi are some of the players we should expect to play a part this season.

“From the squad of 33, there are only about nine or 10 players who were retained from last year. About eight players were unearthed during the nationwide trials and the rest are coming from the Premiership,” said an official.

Makepekepe lost several key players like Tapiwa Khumbuyani, Tendai Samanja, Dominic Chungwa, Kenneth Bulaji, Ishmael Thindwa and goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube.

Former ZRP FC forwards Nicholas Alifandika and Honey Chimutimenzeve, who were on a short loan deal, also decided against renewing their contracts and followed coach Taurai Mangwiro to Harare City.

Among those expected to don the Green Machine shirt are former Monomotapa youngster Never Tigere, ex-DC Academy’s Kudzai Nyamufukudza, Blessing Nyamuzihwa, Crispen Machisi, Wilfred Zondo, Kudakwashe Chimwala and former Hwange juniors leftback Wilfred Munorewi.

Makepekepe team manager George Gumbo told The Herald they were hoping to have their final look at the players in a game situation when they play a practice match this weekend.

The Green Machine are likely to engage Ngezi Platinum tomorrow.

“We have our provisional squad but we have given ourselves up until the weekend to see who can be signed.

“But, as we said before, we are going to give due consideration to those unheralded players whom we feel have the capacity to compete at the top level. That was the purpose for those trials,” said Gumbo.

Makepekepe have retained the likes of Hardlife Zvirekwi, Joram Muchambo, Moses Muchenje, Carlton Munzambwa, Godknows Mhangani, Pervington Zimunya and Dominic Mukandi.