Simba Bhora midfielder Ronald ‘Rooney’ Chitiyo has requested to leave the Premiership debutants ahead of their maiden appearance in the country’s top-flight.

The former Zimbabwe international joined the ambitious Shamva-based side in May, when they were still in the Northern Region Soccer League.

The dimunitive midfielder joined Simba after his dramatic exit from Harare giants CAPS United, who had dismissed him citing his ‘influential’ role in the players’ strike which nearly led to the cancelation of their league match against Cranborne Bullets, before pardoning him days later.

He was key member of the Simba squad which won promotion to the Premeir Soccer League but ahead of the Simba Ndoro-owned side’s debut appearance in the country’s top-tier, Chitiyo has asked the club to terminate his contract, which expires on December 31 2023.

“Rooney (Chitiyo) is no longer with us. He requested that his contract with us, which ends on December 31 2023, be terminated,” said a source at Simba Bhora.

“His decision surprised us, but as a club policy, we do not stand in the way of players wanting to leave,” added the source.

Chitiyo showed up once for the Simba Bhora pre-season overseen by freshly-recruited coach Tonderai Ndiraya, but is believed to have asked to be excused, saying his mother wasn’t well.

Efforts to get a comment from the Epworth-raised midfielder were in vain as his mobile phone was not reachable.