Tereza Engesha insists she's still a Vihiga Queens player despite rumours that the maverick forward had terminated her contract with the former Kenyan champions.
Information emerged over the weekend that Engesha, who was crowned Kenya Footballers Welfare Association (KEFWA) player of the year in 2019 after bagging 36 goals, had severed ties with the county-sponsored team and was heading to Tanzania.
"Yes, I have terminated my contract with Vihiga and I am no longer their player. I am grateful to have spent eight successful years with the club," Engesha was quoted by Sports Galore.
However, Engesha denied having said that, reiterating her commitment to the club she calls home.
"I am not aware of the rumours going around and I don't even know who did the interview. Nothing like that. I am a player for Vihiga," she said.
The in-form striker currently leads the goal-scoring chart with nine goals in the Kenyan Women Premier League.
Coach Boniface Nyamunyamu urged fans to treat the information doing rounds on social media as mere gossip.
"As a club, we are treating them as rumours because we have not had any official communication from anybody. She's going nowhere at the moment," Nyamunyamu said.
The international player has been a mainstay in the Harambee Starlets team, further highlighting her value at both club and national teams.
She has won three consecutive national titles with Queens (2017-2019) under coach Alex Alumira before Alumira left for Tanzania's Tiger Queens last year. Alumira was last month appointed the national team Harambee Starlets coach.
"Engesha is an experienced player and has a value and therefore, she can't leave on the cheap. In any case, negotiations should be between the parent club and the interested team and not between player and club because the rules are clear," Nyamunyamu clarified.
Engesha has been linked with several top European clubs after starring in the Cecafa Club Champions League qualifiers in Nairobi, where she managed five goals as they romped to the title last September.
She was named woman of the match in the tournament proper in Egypt after leading Vihiga to a 2-0 win against AS FAR of Morocco in the Caf Women's Champions League last year.
It will be a big blow if Engesha leaves considering that Vihiga have already lost goalkeeper Lilian Awour and fast-rising 20-year old striker Jentrix Shikangwa. The duo left last monthfor France and Turkey respectively.
