Mbola rebuffs Mazembe deal, heads to Juventus
By Shamaoma Musonda
ZAMBIA defender Emmanuel Mbola has denied ever signing any contract with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) giant TP Mazembe saying the only deal he had with the Lubumbashi side was to keep fit while waiting for his move to Europe.
And Mining Rangers officials are said to be living in fear following death threats from anonymous callers over Mbola’s transfer, a matter that has been reported to police.
In an interview in Kitwe yesterday, Mbola said TP Mazembe were mistaken to think he was their player as his stay in Lubumbashi was strictly for purposes of keeping in shape as he waited for his transfer matter to be resolved with FIFA.
“I am not a TP Mazembe player, I went to TP Mazembe on agreement that I will be there to maintain my fitness as I waited for FIFA to resolve my transfer problem, now that it’s done, I have to move on,” he said.
Mbola has said he is next week scheduled to travel to Turin, Piedmont to sign for Italian giants Juventus after FIFA resolved his transfer saga.
And Mbola expressed disappointment at the negative talk over his career saying he would do with more encouragement from all quarters in Zambia.
TP Mazembe is believed to be considering taking the matter to FIFA for supposedly abrogating contract.
He said TP Mazembe had been trying to entice him into signing for them, but he has since turned down their offer and that the negative reaction over his move to Italy was purely sour grapes.
He admitted he never officially bid farewell to TP Mazembe and was not interested in going back to the Congolese club.
The player accused the African champions of owing him some money in unpaid salaries in his slightly over three-month stay in the DRC
“I didn’t say bye to TP (Mazembe) because they would have made my life difficult. They would not have allowed me to come to Zambia let alone go to Europe, they wanted me to sign for them and I refused.
“My chapter with TP Mazembe is over and I’m not going there for anything, not even the money they owe me,” said Mbola who refused to say how much he was owed, though it is believed to be more than US $20 000.
And Mining Rangers have expressed resentment at assertions that they received US $300,000 from TP Mazembe boss Moses Katumbi over Mbola’s transfer to Congo saying the money involved was far below the figure and was still not paid in full.
Soon after the 2010 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Angola, Mbola had a training stint at English Barclays Premiership side Tottenham Hotspur, but because of his binding contract with Pyunik Yereven, he was advised to sort out his agreement with the Armenian side.
Mbola ended up at TP Mazembe, for three months as his local club Mining Rangers, his handlers and FIFA tried to sort out his contractual mess.
Mbola’s football career has been shaky following a disputed transfer deal to Pyunik, a move that brought out fresh revelations that the player was made to sign a contract as an underage.
The matter was reported to FIFA and in the process of sorting out the issue, Mbola trekked to TP Mazembe.
The youngster who made a mark at the U-20 FIFA World Youth Cup finals in Canada, his club Mining Rangers and TP Mazembe has been hitting newspaper headlines over his refusal to go back to the DRC after the winter break and his impending move to Europe.
