The 24-year-old goalkeeper has been left out of all three Bright Stars games in the FUFA Super-8 tournament, where Derrick Were has featured, as a move away was expected.
Goalkeeper Hassan Matovu will be staying at Soltilo Bright Stars after suitors URA FC failed to have an agreement over a move this transfer window.
Matovu was a top target for the Tax Collectors this window, and while they had an agreement in place over the signing of the keeper, they failed to sort their preferences internally, which left the deal in limbo.
The 24-year-old goalkeeper has been left out of all three Bright Stars games in the FUFA Super-8 tournament, where Derrick Were has featured, as a move away was expected.
Matovu is now expected to be fully involved in the pre-season preparations of the club after the deadline for URA to complete a deal for him passed with talks still at an impasse.
“Hassan [Matovu] will be staying at Bright Stars,” said a source close to the player, adding “The deal was not progressing with URA not clear on their priorities, which was not ideal.”
Pulse Sports understands the Tax Collectors first made contact with Bright Stars in June over a potential transfer, and were given the green light to talk to the player and finalise personal terms.
While Bright Stars were clear on their requirements, URA went back and forth on personal terms.
The situation was complicated with the signing of goalkeepers Denis Otim from Express and Rogers Omedwa from Arua Hill in the after math of the departure of captain Alionzi Nafian.
URA felt that they still needed a third signing in the goalkeeping department and never closed the door on the pursuit of Matovu, leaving the deal to float in a vaccuum.
Now that Matovu will not be moving to Lugazi, URA are expected to hand James Alitho a one-year contract extension to provide back up to Otim and Omedwa.