Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have made wholesale changes to their squads as they take on a new Betway Premiership season. Let’s take a look, with plenty of drama still expected on Deadline Day.
Kaizer Chiefs completed transfers
- Fiacre Ntwari, 24, goalkeeper
- Inacio Miguel, 28, central defender
- Rushwin Dortley, 22, central defender
- Bongani Sam, 27, left-back
- Bradley Cross, 23, left-back
- Njabulo Blom, 24, midfield general
- Gaston Sirino, 33, attacking midfielder
Experience is key
28-year-old central defender Inacio Miguel arrives with club football experience in Portugal, Romania, Latvia and most recently Angola with Petro de Luanda. Meanwhile, journeyman left-back Bongani Sam will become only the fifth player in history to represent all of South Africa’s Soweto clubs when he pulls on a Chiefs jersey for the first time. Amazingly, he only turned 27 at the end of July. Then there’s 33-year-old left-footer Gaston Sirino, a man who knows how to win with 11 trophies to his name at Sundowns, including seven league crowns on the bounce. He’s not a long-term fix but a great guy to have around as the club negotiates a transition phase.
New blood
24-year-old Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari made his debut in the club’s 2-1 win over Gallants sporting the number 30 jersey. Bradley Cross also made his debut at left-back, wearing 48. Still only 22, R10 million signing Rushwin Dortley is a massive prospect. He too made his debut against Gallants and started both of Bafana’s recent qualifiers against Uganda and South Sudan. Former favourite midfielder Njabulo Blom returns to the club on loan from the MLS.
Orlando Pirates completed transfers
- Gilberto, 23, right winger, R11.1 million from Petro de Luanda
- Deano van Rooyen, 27, right-back, R7 million from Stellenbosch
- Thalente Mbatha, 24, central midfielder, R7 million from SuperSport
- Selaelo Rasebotja, 23, right-sided midfielder, free transfer from SuperSport
- Thuso Moleleki, 24, playmaker, free transfer from Orbit College
- Azola Tshobeni, 22, attacking midfielder, returns from loan
- Goodman Mosele, 24, central midfielder, returns from loan
- Boitumelo Radiopane, 22, striker, returns from loan
- Sphamandla Gumede, goalkeeper, returns from loan
- Siyabonga Dladla, goalkeeper, promoted from the youth side
- Mohau Nkota, right winger, promoted from the youth side
Could Appollis be heading to Soweto on Deadline Day?
Someone of the magnitude of Kaizer Chiefs can offer Appollis a better salary and terms than lesser sides in the division. Chiefs can probably pay a better monthly wage to Appollis than most of the biggest sides in the North of the continent. Another factor that Polokwane City would consider, should they decide to sell their star man on the final day of the window or the day before, is the desperation Chiefs have to acquire a player of his profile. The closer we get to the window, the more panicky Chiefs get, and the higher the price skyrockets. And if a buyer like Sundowns arrived at the table? Then Chiefs can forget about it and Polokwane can drive the price even higher.
Chiefs and Pirates fans, who would you like to see arrive on Deadline Day? Be nice to each other in the comments.
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