BY ADMIRE JAMU-MLAMBO

Former Denmark-based midfielder Tanaka Chinyahara has found a new home after penning a one-and-half-year deal with Zambian Premier Soccer League side, Red Arrows.
Chinyahara, who has also played for South African football clubs Bidvest Wits and Witbank Spurs, signed the deal on Wednesday which will see him play for the club until 2021.

The midfielder expressed his delight for eventually bouncing back into the game after a long time on the sidelines.

“It’s a great feeling. I signed a one-year six-month contract with Red Arrows. It has an option of extension for another year. Red Arrows is highly-professional and I hope to perform to my best ability. I can’t wait to play for one of the biggest teams in Zambia,” Chinyahara told NewsDay Sport from his Lusaka base yesterday.

Red Arrows, sponsored by the Zambian Airforce, are under the guidance of Chisi Mbewe.

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The 24-year-old Chinyahara has been clubless since last year after his former club Witbank Spurs, which was competing in the South African National League, was relegated, leading to the termination of his contract with the club.

The midfielder, like Warriors team captain Knowledge Musona, has never featured in the domestic topflight league as he went straight to South Africa where he turned out for Kaizer Chiefs junior squad before joining Bidvest Wits in 2014.

It was at Bidvest Wits where he was spotted by Hobro IK scouts, while playing in a junior tournament. In 2015, Chinyahara made a big break into the European leagues when he signed for the Danish club.

He, however, struggled for game time at Hobro IK, making only five appearances in 2016 and spent the remainder of 2017 soccer season on loan at Danish second division side Jammerbugt FC.

The diminutive midfielder then tried his luck at Dynamos in 2018 when he trained with them at a time they were under the guidance of Lloyd Mutasa, fuelling speculation that he was eyeing a possible move to the Harare giants.

He was however, not signed amid reports of sticking contractual issues.

After a largely frustrating period of training with the Glamour Boys, Chinyahara decided to return to South Africa where he joined Witbank Spurs which was then coached by former Bafana Bafana coach Ephraim “Shakes” Mashaba.

He becomes the latest local player to join the great trek to the Zambian league in recent times after reigning Soccer Star of the Year Joel Ngodzo, Takudzwa Chimwemwe, Dominic Chungwa, Tafadzwa Rusike, Dennis Dauda, Jimmy Dzingai and Thabani Kamusoko decided to move north.