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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
NEWLY-PROMOTED South African Premiership football side Sekhukhune United are tipped to win the race to sign CAPS United midfielder Blessing Sarupinda following his good showing at the just-ended COSAFA tournament.

The Aces Youth Soccer Academy product was one of the most outstanding individuals for the Warriors despite Zdravko Logarusic charges’ disastrous campaign in the 20th edition of the annual regional fiesta.

And top South African clubs are scrambling for the 22-year-old’s signature.

The Herald can reveal that Kaitano Tembo’s SuperSport United as well as Chippa United have both expressed interest in signing the Zimbabwean midfielder.

Two other unnamed teams are also believed to be in the race for Sarupinda’s signature.

But, it is Sekhukhune who have shown concrete commitment to bring the player at their base.

After watching the Zimbabwean in the Warriors’ first COSAFA match against Mozambique, Sekhukhune developed sudden interests in Sarupinda and dispatched their chief scout Themba Sithole who is also the head of development for the club.

Sithole told one of the Warriors technical team members that his team were ready to sign the player.

Actually, Sarupinda left Port Elizabeth before the rest of the squad had came home via Johannesburg where he is believed to have agreed personal terms with the team.

His agent, Motion Mbano, yesterday confirmed his client was being sought after by several South African teams.

“Nothing concrete has materialised as yet but I can confirm that we are receiving inquiries from several South African clubs,” said Mbano.

“Since he (Sarupinda) arrived back home from the COSAFA tournament, we have been receiving calls from different teams who are enquiring on his availability.

“Nothing concrete has emerged as yet but its looking promising.

“Yes, Sekhukhune United are one of the clubs who have reached out and there are four other teams who have made contact.”

Sekhukhune United coach, MacDonald Makhubedu, seems to be very much keen on having as many Zimbaweans in his team as he is reported to be also interested in taking goalkeeper Washington Arubi on board.

Arubi has been making waves after his gallant showing in between the posts for Tshakuma Tsha Madzivhandila (now Marumo Gallants) last season which earned him the Nedbank Player of the Tournament award.

He was the Warriors first-choice goalkeeper at the COSAFA tournament and showed he still has the reflexes which earned him the Castle Lager Soccer Star of the Year accolade in 2011.

But, should Arubi sign for Sekhukhune, he will compete against veteran and compatriot Tapuwa Kapini who is already in the books of the Johannesburg-based side.

Utility player McClive Phiri is also in the books of Sekhukhune.

Meanwhile, another Warriors player, Talent Chawapihwa, has signed for the same team from Amazulu.

Although he still had one year left on his Amazulu contract, Chawapihwa, who saw little game-time at the Durban team, agreed to mutually terminate his stay with the Benni McCarthy-coached team and he has become the first Zimbabwean to put pen to paper at Sekhukhune ahead of the 2020-2021 season.

Besides Sarupinda, several other players who were in the COSAFA team have attracted interests from several teams in South Africa.

They include King Nadolo who, like Sarupinda, is understood to be in negotiations with a top South African team.

Nadolo left Harare for South Africa yesterday morning. Defenders Carlos Mavhurume and Lennox Mucheto are the other players who have caught the eye of different clubs Down South.