• Stima are set to play Kariobangi Sharks today (Thursday) at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.
• Kisumu All-Stars team manager Alfred Flo maintained that Motanda is their player.
Western Stima have given up on signing Kisumu All-Stars' striker Ian Motanda.
Stima chairman Laban Jobita, however, said they will be keen to sign the former Barding High School player at the end of the season.
“The transfer didn’t go through but we hope to sign him once the season ends. The player wanted to join us in the mid-season window but All-Stars didn't want to release him,” Jobita said.
Motanda was listed as a Western Stima player in the list of players they signed in mid-season transfer window which closed on Monday.
Failure to lure the youngster from the NSL side is a big blow to coach Paul Ogai who has complained that his strikers have been poor since the season began.
Stima are set to play Kariobangi Sharks today (Thursday) at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.
Jobita, however, confirmed the signing of five players among them Ugandan duo Joel Abaliwano from Kakamega Homeboyz and Braize Nkolo from Nairobi Stima.
Others are Tanzania'sMalik Hillary, Vitalis Akumu from Green Commandos and Kevin Wayodi who was signed on loan from Tusker
Kisumu All-Stars team manager Alfred Flo maintained that Motanda is their player and will see off the season at the Kisumu County Sponsored team.
He also confirmed that the team has signed five players to help them qualify to the SportPesa Premier League.
The five include goalkeeper Victor Onditi from Migori Youth, strikers John Oruko from Zoo Youth and Leone Doso from Kisumu City FC. Others are midfielders Elisha Owino from Griffins and Alex Waiswa from Kakamega Homeboyz.
With the top four teams separated by two points, Flo was confident the Blue Eagles can make it to the top flight league.
“There is a realistic chance of qualifying to KPL. We want to win all our remaining matches,” he said on phone. All-Stars will on Saturday welcome Migori Youth at Moi Stadium in Kisumu.