Heartland Admits Owing Rangers N3.5m

CAF Champions League finalist and one of the contenders for the Globacom Premier League this season, Heartland Football Club, has acknowledged that it is yet to settle the transfer fee of N3.5 million for former Enugu Rangers’ defender, Chinedu Efugh.
In an interview with Naijaligue.blogspot.com on Monday, Heartland FC’s team manager, Emeka Iwuagwu, disclosed that the Naze Millionaires is not denying owing its Premier League rival over the transfer of Efugh.
The Heartland FC official also declared that the Owerri-based club is ready to pay the money to the Flying Antelopes as Enugu Rangers is also called though he did not commit himself by stating the actual date.
Iwuagwu, however, added a new twist to the whole saga that Enugu Rangers is yet to officially write Heartland FC on the notification that it intends to withdraw the provisional clearance for Efugh.
“We do not have a problem with Rangers over the money for the transfer of the player (Efugh). We are not denying the fact that we did a deal with them and we will pay the money that I can promise,” he told Naijaligue.blogspot.com. “On withdrawing the player’s clearance, they have not told us anything like that. But I can assure that we will pay them. I know they feel pained but the player in question does not want to play for them again and so we know what to do and we will do it.”
But another club official, who would prefer to remain anonymous, told Naijaligue.blogspot.com that the Naze Millionaires, for now, has its sight set on winning its first-ever African title rather than concern itself with the transfer saga involving Efugh – one of the players taking part in the CAF Champions League.
The Heartland FC official further informed that the club is likely to open talks with Rangers on the mode of payment for the transfer of the player after the second leg of the CAF Champions League.
“For now, it is unofficial but I think that Heartland could hold talks with Rangers on the player’s transfer and how to pay it. But the concentration now is the CAF Champions League final and that is the situation of things for now,” the official hinted Naijaligue.blogspot.com.
Naijaligue.blogspot.com also understands that Efugh is being owed outstanding debt by his former employer, Enugu Rangers.
It would be recalled that Enugu Rangers could not hide its dismay for Heartland FC’s failure to keep to agreement over the transfer fee after five weeks into the new season.
Rangers’ media officer, Foster Chime, made it clear that Heartland FC had breached contractual agreement for the versatile player and threatened to withdraw the ownership of the player since it is yet to hand the Owerri side full clearance.