Chiefs finding it hard to complete Cele deal

Kaizer Chiefs are believed to be facing serious issue about signing the Bafana Bafana midfielder Thabo Cele.

Thabo Cele was tipped to join Amakhosi from Radomiak Radom on a free transfer this week after the midfielder was transfer-listed by the Polish club.

Chiefs’ sporting director Kaizer Motaung Junior tweeting from Poland’s neighboring country, Germany on Wednesday also sparked rumours suggesting that Amakhosi were close to signing Cele on a three-year deal.

However, GOAL has been informed by an impeccable source that Cele remains contracted to Radomiak and Amakhosi will have to purchase the 26-year-old from the Ekstraklasa outfit.

“Initial indications were that Radomiak would terminate his contract which ends next year because he is not part of the coach’s plans. Chiefs would then sign Thabo on a free transfer hence Kaizer Jr traveled to Munich, [Germany],” a source told GOAL.

“However, Radomiak are aware of Chiefs’ interest in the player and they are unwilling to terminate the contract at this stage. Chiefs will have to purchase him from Radomiak who want a transfer fee. The ball is in Chiefs’ court.”

“At this moment in time I am considering playing in South Africa,” Cele said in an Instagram video posted by his new agency, OE Sports Management on Wednesday.

“I recently changed management and there are some talks ongoing in the background.”

Cele has fallen out of favour under Radomiak’s head coach Constantin Galca and he is not registered with the Ekstraklasa for the 2023/24 season.

The former South Africa under-23 international has been training with the club’s reserve team since he returned from South Arica.

Cele was one of Bafana’s standout performers as the team finished third in last month’s 2023 Cosafa Cup in Durban and he has also been linked with AmaZulu FC.

The KwaMashu-born player will have to wait for Radomiak and his agent to sort out his future amid concrete interest from Amakhosi.

Chiefs, on the other hand, are set to open their 2023/24 PSL campaign with a clash against Chippa United on Sunday.