SuperSport United's signing of Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Lebohang Maboe has highlighted Kaizer Chiefs' missed opportunity to secure one of their reported targets.
Insiders close to Amakhosi, the Brazilians, and the player, indicated that Chiefs were believed to be initially interested in Maboe but failed to finalise a deal in time.
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According to the sources, logistical challenges were the main reason a potential Chiefs negotiation fell through."Before Thembinkosi Lorch, Chiefs were interested in Lebohang Maboe and talks were ongoing but the negotiations broke down at the most crucial time when logistics of the loan deal were being finalised. There were other clauses in the loan contract which didn't sit well with Chiefs, as well as Sundowns didn't want to change them and the deal fell just like that," the Siya source stated.
A second insider noted that a key issue was the condition preventing Maboe from playing against Sundowns, should Chiefs have secured his loan.
"You know Sundowns normally pay part of the salary of their loaned out players and that means the player can't play against Sundowns. So Chiefs are believed to have been willing to go half-half and the player to be still able to play against his mother club, Sundowns. Though, the two clubs are believed to have failed to agree on that and that's how Chiefs lost out on Maboe," the second Siya source stated.
READ: The Lorch Timeline: A Year To Forget At Sundowns
The famous PSL club linked to Maboe, as reported by Soccer Laduma earlier in the week, was believed to be Kaizer Chiefs.
Maboe has since been loaned to SuperSport United until the end of the season and his contract with the Brazilians only expires in June 2026. So, he is expected to return to Sundowns at the end of the current campaign.
Soccer Laduma contacted Chiefs and Sundowns for comment but the clubs had not responded by the time this report was published.
