AFTER an illustrious eight-year tenure with Tanzanian football giants Simba SC, veteran goalkeeper Aishi Manula is reportedly set to leave the club on a free transfer.

Highly placed club sources indicate that Manula (pictured) is on the verge of making a return to his former club, Azam FC, in what would be a significant homecoming. 

Manula, widely regarded as one of Tanzania’s premier goalkeepers of his generation, originally left the Chamazi-based side in 2017 to join Simba.

While the transfer is expected to be on a free, it signals a notable shift in relations between Manula and Simba - reportedly strained since the 2023/24 season. 

His once unassailable status as Simba’s first-choice goalkeeper has faded, with Ayoub Lakred and later Moussa Camara being preferred between the posts.

Manula's decline in the pecking order began after an injury towards the end of the 2022/23 season sidelined him for six months. His last competitive appearance for Simba came in a surprising 2-1 home defeat to Tanzania Prisons, after which he missed the remaining 15 league matches and was excluded from cup competitions.

He made only four appearances throughout the 2023/24 season, two of which were heavy defeats - including the infamous 5-1 thrashing by arch-rivals Young Africans (Yanga). 

With Camara establishing himself as the undisputed number one and Ally Salim as the second choice, it became evident Manula was no longer part of Simba’s immediate plans, essentially benched until his contract expires.

Now fully recovered and fit for the new season, Manula is reportedly ready for a fresh start. Sources within Azam FC suggest he may have already signed a deal, with the club eager to welcome him back. 

Previous efforts to secure his return during the mini-transfer window were unsuccessful due to disagreements over player exchanges. However, with Manula nearing the end of his contract, Azam are confident about closing the deal.

In a related move, Azam are expected to offload Mohamed Mustafa, either on loan or permanently, to make room for new players - especially foreign infield players. 

Last season, the club struggled to register its full foreign quota due to squad limitations, with some foreign players still drawing salaries despite not being registered.

Azam, who finished second in the Mainland Premier League with 69 points last season and secured CAF Champions League qualification, conceded 21 goals. 

This season, with two matches remaining, they’ve conceded just 17 goals, a notable defensive improvement. However, conceding six more goals would equal last season’s tally.

Mustafa spent a large part of this season sidelined by injuries, allowing academy graduate Zuberi Foba to step up. 

While the club’s defense held firm, Azam see the return of an experienced figure like Manula as crucial for leadership and stability, especially as they aim to compete strongly in CAF inter-club competitions.

Manula’s return is also expected to rejuvenate his chances of reclaiming a spot in the Tanzania national team (Taifa Stars). 

The national team’s goalkeeping role remains open, with many club starters benched. Even Ally Salim, a debutant for Camara at Simba, is currently the Taifa Stars' starting goalkeeper.

Manula was a key figure in Simba’s dominance, contributing to four consecutive league titles and four CAF quarter-final appearances. 

Yet, this season he did not feature in any competitive matches, with his only appearance coming in a 1-1 friendly draw against Al Hilal Omdurman at the KMC Complex.

Since his arrival at Simba in July 2017, Manula was the club’s first-choice goalkeeper for five consecutive seasons, winning Goalkeeper of the Season three times in a row. 

Young Africans already have Djigui Diarra, the Malian international who dethroned Manula as the league’s best keeper even before Camara's arrival. 

They also have Abutwalib Mshery and newly signed Aboubakar Khomein in their goalkeeping roster.

Despite Azam having previously invested heavily in signing Mohamed Mustafa from Sudanese giants Al Merreikh, the club now sees Manula as a vital addition to guide their Champions League campaign and domestic ambitions.