Double raid: Costa dol Sol capture Matthew Sibale and Innocent Tanganyika

Mozambican elite league side Costa do Sol have raided Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe by capturing Silver Strikers red hot forward Matthew Sibale and exciting midfielder Innocent Tanganyika of Civil Sporting Club.

Both Silver and Civil have confirmed the development in separate interviews.

Sibale’s transfer fee is believed to be around 17,000 US dollars ( K12.7 million kwacha) while Tanganyika is going at 5,000 US dollars ( K3.7 million kwacha)

Last week, Silver rejected the Mozambican club’s initial offer, describing it as too unrealistic, as they were looking for nothing less than 20,000 US dollars ( K15 million kwacha)

But negotiations continued until on Wednesday when the two clubs reached a deal.

While confirming the news, Silver general secretary Thabo Nyirenda explained that the player will only move to Mozambique in January 2018, when the international transfer window reopens.

“A deal has indeed been reached for the transfer of Sibale, but for now he will remain our player until January 2018,” said Nyirenda.

As for Tanganyika, his switch will be sealed as soon as Costa wires the transfer money into Civil’s account, expectedly on Thursday morning.

“A deal has been reached but will only be finalised once the transfer money is in our account. But the player will officially join his new club when the transfer window reopens in January, 2018,” said Civil vice general secretary Ronald Chiwaula.

Chiwaula added that Tanganyika’s one year contract has some clauses inserted in it.

“There is a clause which does not allow the player to join any local club once he leaves Costa. We don’t want to be in a situation like that of our former player Nelson Kangunje, who left the same club only to join Nyasa Big Bullets instead of returning to Civil as verbally agreed. And should Costa sell Innocent to any other club, Civil will be entitled to a 30% share of the transfer fee,” added Chiwaula.

Sibale, signed from lower league side TN Stars in 2015, has been in sparkling form for Silver this season scoring 12 league goals, to jointly lead the golden boot chase with Blue Eagles forward Mphatso Phillimon.

While Tanganyika, formerly of the defunct Epac fc ended up at Civil after the two clubs merged.

At Costa, the duo will be expected to form a deadly partnership with 2016 Super League top scorer Richard Mbulu.

Mbulu joined the club earlier this year from army side Mafco.

However, Costa has not been a happy home for all Malawian players.

Former Civil midfielder Kangunje left the club this year a few months after joining them alongside Mbulu.

He returned home to join Nyasa Big Bullets together with Chimango Kayira, who also terminated his contract with Costa end last year.

While in Mozambique, Sibale and Tanganyika won’t run short of company and familiar opponents, as they will join former Silver stars Charles Swini, Ndaziona Chatsalira, Frank Banda and Chawanangwa Kawonga in the Mozambican elite league, just to mention a few Malawian stars plying their trade in that country.