Rushesha on verge of new deal at Reading
TIVONGE Rushesha who is yet to respond to the Warriors despite several call-ups is set to extend his stay at English League One side, Reading.
The defender is in talks with the club over a contract extension.
Reading announced the news on their website saying: “Kelvin Abrefa and Tivonge Rushesha are both currently in talks regarding new contract offers with the club that will see them extend their stays in RG2.”
Reading finished the 2023-24 season 17th on the League One table.
Rushesha’s present deal ends in June. Born in Zimbabwe, he joined the Swansea academy at Under-12 level.
He went on to make his professional debut for the club aged just 17 and 35 days in the second round of the Carabao Cup against Cambridge in 2019.
Rushesha recovered from a serious ACL injury in December 2020 to lead the Swans’ Development side the following season.
The defender-turned-midfielder impressed, earning the Under-23 Player of the Season Award for 2020-21.
Capped at age-group level for Wales, his resilience was tested once again the following season with another long-term injury. But he returned to competitive action in February 2023 by featuring in a 3-2 win for the Swans’ Under-21 side against Watford.
Following the expiry of his Swansea contract, he began training with Reading in the first week of pre-season.
Meanwhile, the Zifa Normalisation Committee has invited applications for the Warriors job for the second time having previously appointed Baltermar Brito only on an interim basis for the two 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Rwanda last year.
Zimbabwe will play their next round of qualifiers in South Africa against Lesotho and Bafana Bafana at Orlando Stadium
and Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein at home and away, respectively.
Zimbabwe has no stadium fit to play host to a competitive international match.*