Kaizer Chiefs are believed to have made a decision regarding their pursuit of a Bafana Bafana midfielder, the Siya crew has been informed.
The player in question is Gil Vicente's Sphephelo "Yaya" Sithole, who has long been on Amakhosi's radar even though he is currently participating in Liga Portugal 2.
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Soccer Laduma had previously reported how Chiefs were contemplating whether to keep Njabulo Blom or sign Sithole.
Now, insiders close to Chiefs have indicated that the club has made the decision not to go for Sithole due to their existing midfield depth and concerns over the player’s injury history.
Siya sources have added that while the Glamour Boys were weighing the possibility of signing Sithole, they have opted to focus on their current midfielders instead.
"There are some decisions which the team is believed to be taking because of the players they already have. You see with Yaya (Sithole) there are about four players already in that position in Edson Castillo, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Samkelo Zwane, as well as Yusuf Maart if he will still be around. So, the club apparently feels that position will be overloaded so that's why they are believed to be withdrawing from signing Yaya," the insider told the Siya crew.
A second insider stated that Sithole's recent injury—sustained while on duty with South Africa—has contributed to Amakhosi's hesitation. Chiefs scouts reportedly feel that signing him poses a risk due to his lack of game time and lingering concerns about his recovery.
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"The injury has affected the whole move. The club scouts and recruiters feel like it would be a risk signing him as he has been out for a long time due to injury though he is a good player. And the other issue is the club is still looking at the possibility of keeping Njabulo Blom which means they would not need Sithole and that's the other reason why they are backtracking on signing him," the second insider revealed.
Sithole, 26, who plays his club football in Portugal, has only managed a few appearances this season due to the injury. His limited match fitness has further complicated Chiefs' interest.
Soccer Laduma attempted to contact Chiefs for comment on the matter but received no response at the time of publishing.
