Elite clubs eyeing Malawi national under 20 starlet Peter Banda, will have to wait until 2019, because the Griffin Young Stars playmaker has one more season in youth football.
This has been revealed by Banda’s club coach and manager Griffin Sayenda Jnr.
Banda has since last year been a subject of interest from several local clubs, among them Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers, but Sayenda has been reluctant to sanction a move, saying the boy is still undergoing his development.
And just a few days after the 19 year old fired his club to its first ever FMB Under 20 national title, thereby increasing the prospects of further enquiries, Sayenda remains adamant the highly rated son to former Nyasa Big Bullets maestro, late Chikondi Banda, is not yet ready for the big stage.
“Not now. The lad is still young and developing, I believe he needs at least one more season in the under 20 league to become a mature product before we can let him join the elite division,” said Sayenda.
The coach cum uncle then waxed lyrical about his phenomenal striker tipping him to scale to greater heights if he keeps his head down.
“He is still young and very talented. If he keeps his discipline and continues listening to the coaches and those around him, it won’t be long before he graces the European scene,” he said.
The free scoring Banda netted 28 goals in the just ended FMB Under 20 campaign, bettering his 2016 tally by 3 goals.
Besides continuing the legacy of his father, the wonderboy has no shortage of idols from his mother’s side.
His other uncles Willy and Solomon Sayenda star for Azam Tigers and Blantyre United respectively while the father figure of netball in the country, the revered Griffin Zagallo Sayenda is his grandfather.
Banda is expected to lead the lines for Malawi in the COSAFA Youth Championship starting in Zambia on 6 December.
His late dad Chikondi Banda made football easy to pla. He was a complete player.