Goalkeeper Chipezeze's arrival at Baroka FC forces Namibian shot-stopper Vries' exit

The arrival of Zimbabwe’s reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Elvis Chipezeze at Baroka FC has forced the exit of Namibian shot-stopper Virgil Vries at the Limpopo club.

Bakgaga announced on Tuesday that they have parted ways with the 29-year-old Vries‚ who has made 22 appearances in all competitions after joining from Maritzburg United in July 2017 as the club undergoes what can be described as a complete overhaul of the their squad.

Boroka recently parted ways with as many as five players - Punch Masenamela‚ Lewis Macha‚ Mzwanele Mahashe‚ Khutso Mohwatseleng and Rethabile Soso.

They countered those departures with the acquisition of nine new players last week along with new Zambian head coach Wedson Nyirenda.

In February the club terminated the contracts of captain Olaleng Shaku and Puskas Award-nominee Oscarine Masuluke.

But Vries’ exit was more informed by the fact that Baroka needed to create space for their foreign players and it is inevitable that the Limpopo outfit will release two more foreign players.

Reigning Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Goalkeeper of the Year Chipezeze signed a three-year contract with Baroka in March from Zimbabwean outfit Chicken Inn and will link up with his countryman Talent Chawapiwa at Bakgaga.

Baroka have seven foreigners on their books and they can only register a maximum of five for the 2018/19 Absa Premiership season.

They have Zimbabweans Chipezeze and Chawapiwa‚ Botswana’s Mpho Kgaswane‚ French-born Ivorian forward Armand Gnanduillet‚ Namibian international Ananias Gebhardt‚ Shabani Hussein Tchabalala from Rwanda and Tanzanian defender Abdi Banda.

Vries made 22 appearances in all competitions for Baroka and has been capped 14 times by Namibia.