Kaizer Chiefs team have a team talk vs Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone Stadium. Image: BackpagePix.
Kaizer Chiefs: Two central midfieders to leave?
Squad changes are coming at Kaizer Chiefs ahead of the 2024/25 DStv Premiership. Two midfielders are facing expiring contracts.
Kaizer Chiefs team have a team talk vs Stellenbosch FC at the Athlone Stadium. Image: BackpagePix.
The end of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership is coming very closely. Kaizer Chiefs are likely to part ways with midfielders Siyethemba Sithebe and George Matlou.
KAIZER CHIEFS TO RELEASE SIYETHEMBA SITHEBE AND GEORGE MATLOU?
There are only two months left but Amakhosi are yet to sort out ending contracts. Two of the affected players include Sithebe and Matlou. Despite putting his hand up for a new deal in recent games, Kaizer Chiefs are yet to table a new offer for the 31-year-old Sithebe. The Newcastle-born star joined from AmaZulu in July 2022 before making only 34 appearances under the likes of Arthur Zwane, Molefi Ntseki and Cavin Johnson.
Asked if the Kaizer Chiefs star is affected by his contract situation, the former Mbombela United star said he is sorlely focused on playing. “No, I would say obviously the contract is coming to an end, but as a player, I need to focus right now because the team needs me a lot,” Sithebe said via FARPost.
“Also, there’s pressure that we have to play the remaining games. I think on the issue of contract, I’ll start focusing on it at the end of the season,” the Kaizer Chiefs number six concluded.
REMAINING FIVE MATCHES:
- Thursday 2 May – Mamelodi Sundowns – Home
- Tuesday 7 May – TS Galaxy – Home
- Sunday 12 May – AmaZulu – Away
- Saturday 18 May – Polokwane City – Home
- Saturday 25 May- Cape Town Spurs – Away.
Another Kaizer Chiefs midfielder facing an uncertain future and exit is the 25-year-old Matlou. The Soweto-born star arrived from Mokora Swallows in July 2022. He went on to make only 25 appearances in a gold shirt, including just 10 this season due to an injury.
“The boy has a lot of potential hence Chiefs signed him from Swallows, but let’s be honest, he has not really looked comfortable playing for the club. He’s really struggling to adapt to playing for a big team like Chiefs,” a source told the Citizen.
“He is not even making the match day squad these days and that shows that he is not in the coach’s plans hence the club has decided to let him go at the end of the season. He’s only 25, so he has time to rediscover the form that saw him being signed by Chiefs, but he’ll do that somewhere else not at [Kaizer] Chiefs next season,” added the source.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS MATCH
In the meantime, Amakhosi are preparing for a big DStv Premiership match. The Glamour Boys will be hosting the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Thursday at 19:30. A win for Kabo Yellow against Kaizer Chiefs will seal a record seventh-straight title.
