Zesco United have disclosed that they didn’t have a successful fishing trip on the domestic player transfer market that included an unsuccessful and ambitious bid to bring back midfielder Clatous Chama.

Chama is one of four high-profile Zambia CHAN team players Zesco had targeted but failed to sign in the July local transfer window that closed on Monday.

Zesco have been trying to re-sign Chama who left as a free agent last December for a very short-lived stint with Egyptian club Ismaily before turning home three months later to join Lusaka Dynamos.

“Attempts to lure back Chama to Zesco fell through after Lusaka Dynamos pegged an exorbitant buyout clause for the ex-Zesco star,” Zesco media officer Katebe Chengo said.

Zesco also failed to capture Green Buffaloes striker Brian Mwila and Justin Shonga from Nkwazi.

Mwila and Shonga’s stock has been rising after scoring 5 and 3 Chipolopolo goals respectively in international matches over the last two months.

Zesco were also rebuffed by Power Dynamos for the services of striker Martin Phiri.

The failures are in contrast to the January signings that saw midfielder Dave Daka and defender Fackson Kapumbu join from defending champions Zanaco.

But despite their luckless shopping at home, Zesco had a more successful shopping spree outside the country.

Zesco has signed the Burundi international duo of goalkeeper Enock Sabumukwama and midfielder Dieudonne Ntibahezwa from Le Messager Ngozi whom they played in the first round of the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup in March.

The 2017 CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinalists is have also brought in Uganda striker Davis Kasirye and Rwanda international winger Jean Claude Ilanji.

Meanwhile, Zesco is Zambia’s last man standing in 2017 continental action where they will face SuperSport United in the CAF Confederation Cup last eight in September.

This is after Zanaco were eliminated from the 2017 CAF Champions League group stage in July.