Dynamos confessed they were hurt by Augustine Mbara’s move to ABSA Premiership outfit, Highlands Park on a free transfer.

Mbara was one of the most loyal players at Dynamos, but he could not let slip the opportunity after DeMbare had failed to offer him a satisfactory deal.

Speaking to the Herald, DeMbare treasurer Webster Marechera said they were “hurt” that Mbara, a product of their development programme, was going as a free agent as Dynamos did not get a cent for their investment in the player.

Marechera said they had hoped Mbara, who inked a one year deal with the Harare giants in 2015, would renew his contract after they had engaged him.

“Of course players come and go, but it hurts to lose someone whom you nurtured and gave the spotlight without getting anything for it.

“That’s the problem we are facing with these players these days because their managers are insisting on one year deals so that they find it easy to sell them to other teams as free agents with the club benefiting nothing.

“The players are told that South African clubs want free agents and because they are desperate to go abroad they oblige. As a club, our policy is that minimum contract should be two years, but in such cases there is nothing much we can do about it”, said Marechera.

“To say we didn’t negotiate with him, it’s not true. We started negotiating with Mbara about contract renewal in February and I think about three weeks ago we then intensified the talks with him.

While Marechera might choose to blame managers, the Dynamos management should also look at themselves in the mirror and critically assess the way they have gone about their business on the player transfer market, which leaves much to be desired.

Despite failing to retain Mbara, Dynamos have secured his defensive partner Elisha Muroiwa, who should return for their next home match against Border Strikers at Rufaro this Sunday.

Muroiwa, however remains on the radar of South African Premiership giants Kaizer Chiefs who have reportedly been following his progress ever since he burst into the Warriors regular side to partner Costa Nhamoinesu in the African Cup of Nations squad.