Kaizer Chiefs reportedly agreed to let defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe sign for Libyan club Al-Ittihad in exchange for a future transfer of Botswana striker Tumisang Orebonye.
Ditlhokwe ditched Chiefs this month after the Libyan club reportedly paid $850 000 (R15.7 million) with the Glamour Boys failing in their attempts to convince him to stay at Naturena.
Now, according to Soccer Laduma, Chiefs agreed to allow the defender to leave with an eye on striking a deal for Orebonye in future as they had tried and failed to lure the striker from Moroccan side AS FAR before he signed for Al-Ittihad.
What deal do Chiefs & Al-Ittihad have?
“It is a tricky situation but that is what Chiefs and Al-Ittihad are working on. Chiefs wanted Orebonye from AS FAR but could not get him and it is believed that they apparently discussed with the Libyan side on how the sale of Ditlhokwe could land them Orebonye so they (the Libyan club) can keep him until the next transfer window,” a source told Soccer Laduma.
“So, that is the situation how Chiefs could get Orebonye. They had to sacrifice the defender to get the striker for next season. AS FAR could not have released or sold the Botswana international to their former coach Nasreddine Nabi and that is why it is believed that Chiefs had to make this arrangement with Al-Ittihad as one way of signing one of their targeted strikers.”
Orebonye signed for the Moroccan side in January 2024 from Algerian side USM Alger, when Nabi was still at the club, and the veteran tactician is believed to have made him a target when he joined Chiefs.
Amakhosi still in the market for a striker
However, luring him away after just six months proved problematic but a deal was reached with the Libyan outfit which Chiefs now want to take advantage of.
“Yes, there is a plan in place on how they could sign Tumisang from Al-Ittihad next season but he is not the only striker they are looking at. They still have other targets but they will apparently use the arrangement they have agreed with the Libyan side to sign Orebonye. They need other options as well though,” another source was quoted by Soccer Laduma.
Nabi has not hidden his desire to sign a striker although his wishes were granted somewhat in the January transfer window when Chiefs brought in Tashreeq Morris from SuperSport United but that is still not considered enough and Amakhosi will be in the market again for a forward at the end of the season.
