The "Sunshine Boys" are on the verge of a return to Zimbabwe’s elite football tier. Recent reports indicate that Harare City Council is in advanced negotiations to acquire the Premier Soccer League (PSL) franchise of newly promoted Hunters FC.
The deal, which seeks to bring top flight football back to the municipality after a three season hiatus, has moved into a critical stage as both parties haggle over the final valuation. Initially, the Marondera based Hunters FC who recently secured promotion from the Eastern Region Division One slapped a US$1 million price tag on their slot. However, Harare City is reportedly pushing for a significantly lower cash outlay.
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Rather than a straightforward cash purchase, the municipality is employing a creative "swap and top" settlement to bridge the valuation gap. According to a source close to the negotiations:
"Negotiations are underway and the amount is just an asking price. We have significantly gone down on the figure and the purchase is on a swap and top deal. We are exchanging our Harare Northern Region Division 1 franchise and the PSL franchise for Hunters FC."
This structure would see Hunters FC take over Harare City’s current spot in the Northern Region Division One, while receiving an additional cash injection to relinquish their PSL status.
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