Chiefs and Pirates leave fans disappointed on deadline day
Neither Chiefs nor Pirates confirmed any new signings on deadline day.
Irvin Khoza, Chairman of Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Motaung, Chairman of Kaizer Chiefs during 2017 Carling Black Label Cup Fatalities Press Conference at PSL Offices. (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
The Soweto giants – Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs – were the spoilers as the local transfer window drew to a close in dramatic fashion as teams announced some unexpected signings while other previously speculated transfers failed to materialise.
Amakhosi – who have endured two barren seasons – were expected to add a few quality players to their roster but the supporters were left furious as nothing came through from Naturena.
Steve Komphela’s team had been linked with a few players including Lebogang Manyama and Jeremy Brockie.
The Buccaneers were expected to sign a striker especially after selling the team’s top goal scorer for last seasonTendai Ndoro to Saudi Arabia’s Al Faisaly. Neither Chiefs nor Pirates confirmed any new signings on deadline day.
The biggest news of the day was the move of the reigning Premier Soccer League’s Footballer of the Year Lebogang Manyama who is set to move to Turkish team Konyaspor. Manyama’s future was the most anticipated as he had attracted interest from Mamelodi Sundowns and Chiefs.
Sundowns did however get their man when their capture of Rivaldo Coetzee saw Mario Booysen going to Ajax Cape Town. Sundowns were also said to have made a late offer for Cape Town City’s Aubrey Ngoma but nothing had been confirmed at the time of going to print.
SuperSport scored a fine player as Sifiso Myeni will reunite with Eric Tinkler after he secured a season long loan deal from Wits to Matsatsantsa. Myeni and Tinkler previously worked together at Pirates.
On moves which had been hugely speculated upon in the build up to the transfer deadline but had not been confirmed with an hour to deadline are those of two reportedly unsettled Sundowns players Leonardo Castro and Khama Billiat.
Castro was said to be on Chiefs’s wanted list. The Colombian striker is said to be unhappy at Chloorkop and was looking for a move elsewhere. Castro had a dream start to his South African career but struggled to make Pitso Mosimane’s team last season.
Billiat was rumoured to be on his way to either Chiefs or Pirates as he seeks a new challenge.
