Mputu’s club deny transfer deal done

By Aries

As you may recall we first reported on this site Arsene’s interest for Congo’s goal sensation Tresor Mputu.

He was at Arsenal last November for a trial period and also played in a friendly there in December after his club TP Mazembe were invited to London Colney by Wenger.

We also reported that Wenger had one of his most trusted scouts watching Mputu as recently as last month during his club’s Champions League game against FC 105 of Gabon which ended in a draw 1-1.

But he was not alone in watching Mputu. There were also representatives from three other European clubs there:

Seville from Spain, Standard Liege of Belgium, who have a long standing interest in the player a lot before Arsene Wenger got involved and also Olympiakos Piraeus of Greece.

It seems that Wenger’s indecision is allowing other clubs to sniff around and try and get their foot in the door.

So much so that one club has already, according to TP Mazembe’s President Moïse Katumbi Chapwe, let it be known that the deal was already as good as done.

This drew his wrath as he denied such a deal existed: “such information is completely unfounded” he said on the club’s official site.

“It is true that this European club has sent its delegates in Lubumbashi but in no case has the issue of Mputu’s transfer been discussed.

"Instead of announcing that talks were about forming a partnership with TP Mazembe, they have seen fit to lie to their public that they have negotiated and secured the transfer of Treasury Mputu.

This a good lie” he said.

Well, we can reveal that this European "little club" appears to be Belgium’s Standard Liege.

They have indeed announced on their official club site that they are in negotiations with TP Mazembe and that the Congo Club’s President was not averse to striking a deal for taking Mputu on loan for a year.

Standard Liege's sports director, Dominique D'Onofrio, has had a long time interest in the player and was in Lubumbashi towards the end of March of this year to watch Mputu. This is what he said on Standard Liege's site:

"The case is progressing very well," I will have a meeting with the club’s president soon who is not hostile to hire their international player for a year”.

You can see therefore why this statement drew such strong words from TP Mazembe’s president.

It seems that Mputu and his club have set their hearts on Arsenal as a first choice, especially as relations between the two clubs have grown stronger since TP Mazembe’s stay in London at the invitation of Arsenal.

Wenger's interest waned when the player had to limp off during the friendly at London Colney.

But the report prepared by his close friend, Ronald Scheubel, after watching TP Mazemebe’s game last month was favourable, so don’t be surprised if Wenger’s interest is renewed during the up coming transfer window.


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