The future of South African attacking midfielder Neo Maema at Simba SC remains uncertain after the player stayed in his home country while the Msimbazi Reds squad travelled to Kigali, Rwanda, for the CECAFA Kagame Cup tournament.
Simba arrived in Rwanda yesterday for the regional competition, but Maema's absence from the travelling squad has confirmed that his situation with the club is yet to be resolved.
Sources within the club indicate that talks over offering the midfielder a permanent contract have temporarily stalled.
The main reason cited is that Maema has presented high personal demands, including a bigger salary package and improved bonuses.
Simba is still assessing the demands, despite head coach Steve Barker wanting to retain the player in his squad and leaving negotiations to the club's management.
If an agreement is reached, Maema is expected to travel directly to Rwanda to join the Simba squad, which will use the CECAFA Kagame Cup as part of its pre-season preparations.
Simba signed Maema on loan last season from Mamelodi Sundowns. However, the player's contract with Sundowns has expired, meaning Simba must now complete a permanent signing if they want to retain his services.
