There is no way Chiefs will sell Nurkovic, suggests club manager Bobby Motaung
"We just hired a coach. Can the coach work with the squad that is there, including the best striker?" said Motaung.
Samir Nurkovic could be back for Chiefs against Leopards on Wednesday. Pic: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images
Kaizer Chiefs football manager, Bobby Motaung has suggested that for now, at least, the club is not willing to listen to any offers for Samir Nurkovic who is reported to have asked for a transfer from the Naturena-based side.
Nurkovic has been a notable absentee from the Amakhosi team this season and the club had claimed he was recovering from an injury.
READ MORE: Is Nurkovic heading for Chiefs exit door?
But coach Gavin Hunt flipped the script when he revealed that the Serbian striker had been ready to play for more than two weeks now, but certain ‘problems’ had prevented him from playing his best striker.
“Nurkovic has been fit for about two weeks now, but obviously there are other problems. Those problems must be sorted out first. I mean, he could play but let’s leave it for another day,” Hunt said in a SuperSport TV interview before their game against Black Leopards on Wednesday.
This started rumours that Nurković could be facing an all too familiar treatment where players are frustrated by being benched once they request to be transfered. It had earlier been reported that the Egyptian side, Al Ahly had made enquiries about Nurkovic’s availability, and they are known to pay the big bucks, so any player would jump at a chance to play for them.
Motaung has, however, suggested that they are not willing to part with their prized striker, at least this season.
“There must be a willing seller/buyer situation,” Motaung told SABC’s SAfm on Thursday night. “They must both agree on the price. But I won’t lie, these things destabilize the player. But he has a three-year contract. He’s in a good environment. But it’s normal that he’ll be confused by everything.
“We, as Kaizer Chiefs, would never close the door when a player has to leave. But also as a club, when we release, we must make sure that we replace. We can’t hire a new coach and sell the best players. There must be a balance.
“We just hired a coach. Can the coach work with the squad that is there, including the best striker? Then if next year something comes up and the coach feels he has a replacement, then there is that possibility,” he added.
Amakhosi cannot bring in any new players until the end of this season due to their transfer ban.
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