Flamboyant Flames striker Gabadinho Mhango’s future at South Africa’s Bloemfontein Celtic seems to be unfixed after the player has been dilly-dallying on a new contract the club offered him a couple of months ago.
Gabadinho’s current contract comes to an end this June and the nippy forward has attracted interest from top South African clubs such as Kaizer Chiefs and Supersport United.
Celtic team manager John Maduka confirmed to The Daily Times on Wednesday that the club offered Gabadinho a new three-year contract last November, but the player has not yet signed it.
“We offered him a contract last year so that we should keep him at the club. We regard him as a key player who has a good future at the club. However, he has not given us feedback since then. We are still waiting to hear from him and his agent,” Maduka said.
When quizzed on whether Gabadinho was unhappy at the club, Maduka said: “It is hard to determine that. He seems to be enjoying his game and he is working hard in training.”
The Flames legend speculated that the interest from other clubs might have left Gabadinho sitting on the fence.
Maduka said the club could not force the player to stay at the club if he wanted to move on.
“We as a club don’t want to hold on to a player if he doesn’t want to stay. It is bad to keep an unhappy player because he cannot give out the performance we expect. Maybe he is assessing the opportunities at the other clubs that are interested in him,” he said.
The club is scheduled to meet Gabadinho at the end of this week for fresh contractual talks.
Gabadinho took the Absa Premiership by storm in his debut season back in 2013 where he finished as the club’s top scorer and was eventually voted the club’s player of the season despite joining the club midway in the season.
Skeptics suggested that the former Big Bullets striker was a one season wonder.
He has, however, started the year 2016 on a high after scoring last weekend in his side’s two-all draw with Ajax Cape Town.
Celtic are currently seventh in the Absa Premiership with 17 points from 13 matches.
Gabadinho is expected to lead the Flames’ attack in back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Guinea in March.
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