Highly-rated midfielder Thabo Cele had interest shown in him from Kaizer Chiefs again at the end of last season and, up until recently, indications were that the player would finally make the switch to Naturena as one of their marquee signings. Since 2021, the midfielder had been a target for the club, although the Soweto giants have struggled to acquire his signature in all their attempts. While sources have indicated that the 26-year-old was keen on a return to South Africa after spending seven years overseas, and with Amakhosi keen to add him to coach Molefi Ntseki's squad, it seems that certain factors stood in the way of a deal being finalised. The Siya crew takes a look at certain elements that seemingly hindered a potential move.
What The Siya Crew Has Been Told…
Thabo Cele has had an offer tabled for him by Kaizer Chiefs in line with new coach Molefi Ntseki's plan to assemble a formidable squad for the current 2023/24 season. The player and his camp have been open to a return to South Africa as the Naturena-based side have been persistent in their pursuit of his signature. Two years ago, when Stuart Baxter was Amakhosi's head coach, the club was understood to be keen to sign the KwaMashu-born star, although the 69-year-old opted for Cole Alexander, who has been one of his trusted players for the defensive midfield role at various teams he has been at in recent years. With the Glamour Boys still planning to further reinforce the squad before the transfer window deadline in September, contact was made with Cele's Polish club Radomiak Radom by the Soweto giants and at one stage it was thought that the parties were getting closer to agreeing on a deal.
"Thabo Cele is a player that Chiefs like so much and he has been on the club's radar for some time," revealed a source. "Talks have been ongoing and everything looked to be getting finalised at one stage, but it seems that there are certain elements that those who are involved in the negotiations are struggling to agree on," the source added.
It has been reported that Radomiak's asking price for the Bafana Bafana international was in the region of R5 million, even though the midfielder was not in the club's plans since the arrival of Romanian coach Constantin Galca in April. The KZN Academy product stopped training with the first team at Radomiak and has been sent to the B-team with a decision on his future pending.
"Right now, it (a move to Chiefs) doesn't look good and it seems like the player might end up joining another team in Europe," the informant said at the time. Another possible hindrance in Cele's potential Amakhosi move is him allegedly having different representatives, according to sources.
"The player has allowed different people to talk to him and promise him heaven and earth regarding his next move. That must have added to the delay in him joining Chiefs, or any other club for that matter, because everything ends up being a confusion. Also, clubs don't like it when different people come to them time and again claiming to be representing the same player," the Siya crew had been informed.
Furthermore, apart from the Polish club's high asking price, Chiefs were believed to have cooled off their interest after the player's rumoured move to the Soweto giants was splashed all over the media before the club could finalise the deal. At the end of last season, the Glamour Boys were linked with Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi, who had parted ways with Tanzanian club Young Africans, before deciding on Molefi Ntseki to replace Arthur Zwane in the hot seat. Media uproar was one of the reasons mentioned for the deal falling through.
"You must remember that one of the reasons coach Nabi didn't end up at Chiefs was that the news of him joining the club was all over the media even before the club could finalise their coaching decision. That's what must have happened with the Cele deal," a source noted. The midfielder's contract with Radomiak expires in June 2024 and he has openly said that he is open to coming back home, having left Mzansi in 2016 as a 19-year-old when he signed with Portuguese side Real SC. Mamelodi Sundowns are another club that has been linked with the player.
What Are The Facts?
While with Bafana during the COSAFA Cup, Cele confirmed knowing about the interest from Chiefs in his services, adding that coming back to his country of birth was always a possibility.
"It's something I know about and something that is always possible, especially when the transfer window is open, and I won't lie, it's something that you consider because sometimes you find it tough and you think about all the other things. But as I said, my intention is always to climb the ladder on that side because that is my dream," he said, in part, speaking to the media.
During his time abroad, Cele played in Portugal for the first five years of his seven-year spell featuring for the likes of Real SC, Benfica B and Cova Piedade respectively. He has been with Radomiak since 2021. The midfield strongman has featured in 33 matches for the side overall and has two assists. For all the teams he has played for over the years, he made 129 appearances, scored seven goals and made five assists.
Secret Agent
The Siya crew spoke to a top agent in SA to get their expert understanding. For obvious reasons, the agent will remain anonymous.
"For a player who left his country of birth that many years ago as a young boy, I would imagine that there is also an element of homesickness in all of this. A move to Chiefs for a return home will always be tempting for any player and as an agent, I would do everything to make sure that a fair deal is agreed on for all the parties to be happy. It's been some time now that the player has been linked with Chiefs, which means that the club does value him highly and see a need to add him to the team, and I can imagine that he is also keen to join the club. Maybe the player's advisors will need to understand that coming back home won't be the same like playing overseas in terms of salary and everything like that because from what I can imagine, the stumbling block here is the money. Chiefs have signed players who came back from abroad previously and I can't see why Cele should be a different case, but the club also has its own way of doing things, including their evaluation of players and how much they believe should be paid."
This week, Cele completed a move to Russian Premier League side Fakel Voronezh. Radomiak did not let the player go for free as he had been seen as one of the club's prized assets before the turn of events following the arrival of a new coach, which explains why he is valued at R5 million. Furthermore, the player had his own terms, with indications that it came down to money for Cele to move, as it is understood that he was unwilling to bend on what he believes he is worth.
