Zimbabwean footballer Emmanuel Jalai is on the verge of joining South Africa’s Durban City Football Club.
The transfer marks a historic milestone for Zimbabwean players in the Premiership.
Durban City have reportedly secured the former Dynamos captain on a long-term deal that runs until 2028, with an option to extend to 2030, under what insiders describe as the most lucrative debut-season package ever offered to a Zimbabwean player breaking into the league.
Emmanuel Jalai joins Durban City
The Zimbabwe international arrived in South Africa earlier this week after concluding negotiations that decisively set his move apart from previous transfers involving local-based players.
Sources close to the deal say the signing-on fee alone was double what Jalai had been offered by Zimbabwean clubs, both officially and unofficially.
This ultimately swung the decision in Durban City’s favour.
Inside Durban City’s record-breaking package
While his weekly wage is said to be “modest” by South African standards, the overall package tells a different story.
Jalai is understood to earn more than six times his Dynamos monthly salary, excluding bonuses, placing him among the highest-paid Zimbabwean footballers to debut in the Premiership.
His earnings are believed to be above US$5 000 a month (around R95,000), with a signing-on fee estimated between US$20,000 and US$30,000 (roughly R370 000 to R560 000)
Turning down home and overseas interest
The size of the deal effectively shut the door on interest from several directions, including Zimbabwean champions Scottland, improved late offers from Dynamos, and tentative enquiries from clubs in North Africa and the Middle East.
“Yes, it will be around that range, and the sign-on fee is slightly above some of the highest offered by ambitious clubs in Zimbabwe,” a source close to the negotiations confirmed as reported by Mzansi.com.
“It’s a very good package, but what mattered more was the opportunity to grow outside Zimbabwe.”
Why Durban City won the race
What ultimately separated Durban City from the pack was consistency.
Although not traditionally counted among the league’s biggest spenders, the club had tracked Jalai for several seasons and maintained contact even when better-funded teams attempted late interventions.
“Durban City were the most consistent, and their respect for the player was clear,” said a source close to Jalai.
“They didn’t just offer good money, they showed they truly valued him.”