Karuru close to join Leopards
WARRIORS midfielder Ovidy Karuru could soon be playing in the South African Premier League again with reports suggesting that he was training with Black Leopards.
The 31-year-old is a free agent after parting ways with Stellenbosch FC at the start of the season.
Media reports from South Africa indicate that the attacking midfielder had been spotted at the Thohoyandou-based club where he is reportedly trying his luck.
His agent, Ayanda Sigwili confirmed that the player was hunting for a new club.
“Ovidy Karuru is available and ready to join a new club. After parting ways with Stellenbosch, he went home to attend to some personal issues, but is now back and ready to join a new club. He played in two recent matches for the Zimbabwe national team against Algeria, so he is ready,” Sigwili said.
Following the changes in the coaching department that have taken place at Lidoda Duvha which saw Dylan Kerr replace Patrick Aussems, it is believed that the new coach is keen on reinforcing the squad and Karuru is one of the players targeted.
Karuru spent just one season at Stellenbosch having joined from Amazulu the previous year.
If he impresses, this will be the third club in South Africa that he plays for having also turned out for Kaizer Chiefs.
He has also played lower league football in France for Boulogne and OH Louven in Belgium. In Zimbabwe, he played for his home town club Masvingo United before moving to Gunners, helping the side to the 2009 league championship.
Despite his recent inactivity, he was included in the Warriors’ squad for the clash against Algeria in an Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifier a fortnight ago.
His national team call-up was met with groans of disapproval from some fans.
However, he silenced critics with decent performances as the Warriors picked a valuable point in the return leg against the African champions. Currently on five points and second on Group H standings, Zimbabwe will need to beat Botswana in their next match and hope that Zambia fail to beat Algeria, for them to join the North Africans in booking a place at the 2021 Afcon finals.
Algeria has already qualified for the finals set for Cameroon. Botswana are third on the log standings on four points while Zambia are bottom with three points.
The top two teams in the group qualify to the finals.