Singida Fountain Gate FC eyes Yanga midfielder    

The Singida-based side remains ambitious and wants to challenge for honours in Tanzania. The club has been recruiting experienced players and has now set its sight on roping Onyango and Bangala in.

Both Onyango and Bangala have on different occasions lifted the Mainland Tanzania Premier League title, with the former doing so with Simba SC three seasons ago while the latter has for two seasons achieved success with Yanga.

According to a report, Singida Fountain Gate FC officials have already approached both Yanga and Simba SC for the two defenders, as the footballers are the club's primary targets in the main transfer window.

Although Onyango has refuted the claims that he might leave Simba SC after being part of the outfit for the last three seasons, rumours of his possible departure have refused to die.

Singida Fountain Gate FC is said to have had a meeting for three days in Dar es Salaam and resolved to pursue Onyango and Bangala.

Given their experience at the international level, the two defenders are seen as valuable additions to the club that will take part in the 2023/24 CAF Confederation Cup.

Onyango has been a regular starter for Simba SC in the side's CAF Champions League campaign and has been outstanding, especially in his first two seasons.

He conceded errors that proved costly last season, and this put him on the receiving end of criticism from fans and pundits.

Bangala, on the other hand, had an impressive season with Yanga who reached the Confederation Cup's ultimate stage only to lose the final to the USM Alger of Algeria.

Further reports indicate Singida Fountain Gate FC is confident of signing Onyango and Bangala because the two are reportedly not happy at their respective clubs.

Meanwhile, Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) Chairman Steven Mguto has urged local clubs representing the country in CAF inter-club showdowns to recruit players that will take the teams to the advanced stages.

Premier League champion, Yanga, and runner-up Simba SC will play in the CAF Champions League, while Azam FC and Singida Big Stars will compete in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Mguto said that it is an open fact that the quartet's coaches and leaders have seen the quality of players that are normally participating in the continental tournaments, thus, the clubs are required to avoid recruiting players who will not live up to expectations.

He said that TPLB and the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) would like to see all four teams qualify for the finals of the competitions and continue promoting the country.

The TPLB leader noted: "We have witnessed Yanga qualifying for the final of the CAF Confederation Cup, the outfit came close to winning the title but due to the away-goal rule, Yanga missed the title."

"What has been done by Yanga should be taken as a pathway for all teams toward the next season, we have a strong league that is among the top 10 in Africa, and we need to prove that for our teams to do well in the CAF competitions," the leader said.

He said teams have to avoid recruiting players who lack potential, given bringing in less competent footballers is a waste of money, bringing losses in outfits' budgets.

The TPLB leader noted: "We are reading through newspapers and other media outlets on how the teams sign their players for the next season."

"They have to be very keen on conducting the exercise and have to focus on useful players, not those who are not fruitful," he added.

Simba SC, Yanga, Azam FC, and Singida Fountain Gate FC have already announced some newly signed footballers that will be part of their respective clubs in the next Mainland Tanzania Premier League season.

Simba SC has signed forward Willy Onana from Rwanda's Rayon Sports, and midfielder Aubin Kramo from Ivory Coast's ASEC Mimosas while Yanga has introduced fullback, Nickson Kibabage from Singida Fountain Gate FC.

Azam FC has had a shopping spree of signings, roping in midfielder Feisal Salum from Yanga, left fullback Cheikh Sidibe from Teungueth FC of Senegal, winger Djibril Sillah from Moroccos's Raja Club Athletic, and forward Alassane Diao from US Goree of Senegal.