Kaizer Chiefs have been tracking Bafana Bafana midfielder Sphephelo “Yaya” Sithole and have now made their decision over him.
The midfielder has attracted the interest of Chiefs for a long time with the Glamour Boys keenly following his performances for Portuguese second tier side Gil Vicente.
However, the Soweto giants are now reported to have ended their pursuit of Sithole due to what is believed to be plenty of options in central midfield at the club while the future of Njabulo Blom is yet to be resolved.
Chiefs have captain Yusuf Maart, Sibongiseni “Ox” Mthethwa, Edson Castillo and youngster Samkelo Zwane as the defensive midfield options at the club while Blom is coming to the end of his loan deal although the Glamour Boys have an option to make it permanent from MLS Club St Louis City FC.
Why are Chiefs staying away from Sithole?
With all those options, Chiefs do not view central midfield as an area that needs further additions and will look to strengthen elsewhere instead.
“There are some decisions which the team is believed to be taking because of the players they already have,” a source told Soccer Laduma regarding Chiefs’ transfer plans.
“You see with Yaya (Sithole) there are about four players already in that position in Edson Castillo, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Samkelo Zwane, as well as Yusuf Maart, if he will still be around. So, the club apparently feels that position will be overloaded so that's why they are believed to be withdrawing from signing Yaya.”
Sithole suffered a nasty injury while on international duty, when he broke his leg during Bafana Bafana’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier away to South Sudan, needing an operation last September.
Yaya’s injury may have ‘scared off’ Amakhosi
That has kept him out for the whole of this season and the long-term injury is also cited as one of the reasons Chiefs are withdrawing their interest.
“The injury has affected the whole move. The club scouts and recruiters feel like it would be a risk signing him as he has been out for a long time due to injury though he is a good player,” another source told Soccer Laduma.
“And the other issue is the club is still looking at the possibility of keeping Njabulo Blom which means they would not need Sithole and that's the other reason why they are backtracking on signing him.”
Sithole has played away from home all his career, having moved abroad when he was a teenager, but the now 26-year-old is reported to be keen to return home and Chiefs, as well as Mamelodi Sundowns, have been credited with an interest.
