After securing the services of pacey Ugandan winger Abdu Lumala over a month ago, Croatian team Slaven Belupo Koprivnica has now set its sights on forward Muhammad Shaban, as per The Nerve Africa sources.
Reliable sources disclosed to The Nerve Africa that Slaven Belupo is keen on signing Shaban as a free agent this summer after his contract with Uganda Premier League giants KCCA FC expires.
However, the club faces competition from Tanzanian giants Young Africans SC and Kenyan leader Gor Mahia, who were the first teams outside Uganda to express interest in the attacker. Shaban’s father, who also acts as his manager, Shaban Waku, revealed that his son has attracted significant interest, including from Slaven Belupo.
“Shaban will decide where he wants to play next season. For now, he’s focused on KCCA. His performances speak for themselves, and he certainly has interest from clubs in Europe,” Waku said.
“Koprivnica has contacted us, but Shaban is taking his time. He remains under contract with KCCA, and they are keen to retain him. We will wait until the season ends; he still has time to further enhance his skills.”
The 26-year-old, currently the leading scorer in the Uganda Premier League with 14 goals, will become a free agent at the end of June. He has also netted two goals in the Uganda Cup this season.
Shaban joined KCCA at the start of the 2022/23 Uganda Premier League campaign on a two-year contract. His prior clubs include Onduparaka FC, with whom he had two stints, Ugandan champions Vipers SC, and Moroccan giants Raja Casablanca between 2018 and 2019.
In his breakout season in 2015/2016, as an 18-year-old, Shaban was named FUFA Player of the Year, an accolade awarded to the top footballer in Uganda. He made his international debut in 2016 and was part of the squad that represented Uganda in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, the country’s first appearance in the tournament in 38 years.
