Cape Town City have addressed a major weakness as the January transfer window swings open.
City enter the January transfer window invigorated after a solid finish to 2023, climbing to second in the DStv Premiership with a thrilling 2-0 iKapa Derby victory over Cape Town Spurs.
While the window presents exciting opportunities for new additions, the immediate boost comes from the release of Colombian forward Juan Camilo Zapata.
Zapata’s time with City, marked by limited starts and a solitary goal in 23 appearances, fell short of expectations. Despite joining with a bang – having netted 19 goals in 35 games for Venezuelan outfit CD Hermanos Colmenarez – his DStv Premiership form failed to ignite. With his contract terminated after precisely 12 months, a valuable foreign player spot opens up for the Citizens.
This freed-up quota slot was previously occupied, leaving Coach Eric Tinkler with a challenging dilemma. Cameroonian Brice Ambina, Angolan international Jo Paciencia, Venezuelan Darwin Gonzalez, and young Congolese defender Ramazani Tshimanga filled the five permitted foreign player positions.
WHAT MAJOR WEAKNESS HAVE CAPE TOWN CITY ADDRESSED
The solution? Prioritise defensive depth and experience. Tinkler opted to deregister Zapata and reclaim the foreign spot for DR Congo international Nathan Fasika Idumba. This move fills a crucial gap on the City bench, which lacked seasoned defensive options during the Spurs game, with only inexperienced youngster Tshimanga and fullback Patrick Fisher available.
Idumba’s return is a significant boost for City. A knee injury in October 2022 forced his temporary deregistration, but after a successful recovery, he is set to return when the team resumes training in mid-January. His presence adds steel and experience to the central defence, bolstering City’s options heading into the crucial second half of the season.
While the January transfer window may bring further signings, the Citizens have already received a substantial reinforcement with Idumba’s return and Zapata’s departure. This strategic move not only frees up a valuable foreign spot but also addresses a pressing need for defensive depth, setting the stage for a strong push towards the DStv Premiership title in the second half of the season.
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