Kaizer Chiefs have released the free agents training with the club, following a ruling made by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the club’s transfer ban.
The Soweto giants landed in hot water last season, as a result of the unlawful signing of Madagascar international, Arohasina Andrianarimanana – better known as “Dax” – from amateur outfit, Fosa Juniors.
Hlanti and Co leave Naturena
The Malagasy outfit to the matter to world football governing body Fifa, and the organisation banned Amakhosi from making transfers for two windows, including the one currently underway.
That meant that there would not be any new additions to Gavin Hunt’s squad in his first season at Chiefs.
The club, however, explored the possibility of registering free agents, with the likes of Bafana defender Sifiso Hlanti, as well as his ex-Bidvest Wits teammates, Pathutshedzo Nange and Brandon Peterson training at Naturena with the hopes of forcing a permanent move.
On Monday, Chiefs issued out a statement regarding the trio, saying they have been released to join clubs of their choice.
Club Update:
Due to the CAS outcome we can only sign players from July 2021.
As a result, the players that were training with the team will be leaving to join teams of their choice.#Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/nsZmChZQGL
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) November 2, 2020
How the transfer ban hurt Kaizer Chiefs
While holding out for good news from CAS, the Glamour Boys lost out on a number of reported targets, with rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns latching on on the likes of Thabang Monare and Peter Shalulile.
Chiefs’ problems have been compounded by a number of injuries in their existing squad, forcing Hunt to make do with makeshift options in key positions, such as centre-back, where he has fielded Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who normally operates on the right side of the defence.
Not shy of giving the youngsters a run, the former Supersport United mentor has perhaps done so more than he would have liked in his first few matches in charge of Amakhosi. Hunt has gone as far as throwing 17-year-old Keletso Sifama in the deep end in the recent Soweto Derby against Pirates.
Speaking after the 3-0 defeat against the Buccaneers – which was the second such scoreline Chiefs have landed on the wrong side of since an identical result against Sundowns – Hunt said he had no choice but to make the most of the situation.
“Nothing we can change, we’ve got to keep working with what we got to try and make it better.”
Gavin Hunt, Kaizer Chiefs coach
