A stage could be set for Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates to tussle for the services of a highly-rated defender, who is on the last year of his contract.
Soccer Laduma reported in March this year that Chiefs were looking at the possibility of signing SuperSport United young centre-back Luke Fleurs.
Read: Chiefs To Splash The Cash In January?
However, after Amakhosi parted ways with a number of their experienced defenders in the off-season, they eventually settled for the resigning of Zitha Kwinika from Stellenbosch.
Now, as reported in edition 1297 of the publication, available at your nearest outlet, Orlando Pirates have also recently shown interest in Fleurs, according to Siya sources.
The 22-year old, who won the DStv Premiership Young Player of the Season award last term, has fallen down the pecking order of centre-backs at Matsatsantsa, as head coach Gavin Hunt has stuck to the combination of Thulani Hlatshwayo and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe since Fleurs got out of the side in August due to suspension.
Fleurs' contract at SuperSport is coming to an end in June next year, which means he will be eligible to sign a pre-contract with a club of his choice in January.
What could make the junior international up for grabs to Chiefs and Pirates is his desire to join a bigger club that can give him the opportunity to win trophies.
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Fleurs did not hide his intentions of seeking greener pastures after he revealed to the Siya crew in June that a change of approach at Matsatsantsa has stifled his ambitions as a player.
"I want to win trophies. I have been at SuperSport for four years and now we have lots of young players and we are trying," Fleurs told this publication.
"But I would say I have to go to a different club. SuperSport is also a big club, but this rebuilding is dragging me. Even though I am still young, I feel like I have experience now in the PSL. I am ready to play with the more experienced guys hungry to win trophies."
Former SuperSport captain and goalkeper Ronwen Williams also made similar comments when rumours of his departure intensified in the off-season.
"My ambitions are to win the league," Williams told journalists at a Castle Lager event.
"I told them I haven't won the league and obviously the direction the club is going now we should be realistic, we've got a lot of youngsters, there's no chance that we can challenge the bigger boys.
"I can't see us winning the league title. Yes, we will challenge for the cups here and there, but I've got bigger ambitions than that. We will see what happens," he said.
What is different between Williams' situation and Fleurs is that the Bafana Bafana shot-stopper was still contracted to Matsatsantsa and needed the blessings of the club.
The reigning Young Player of the Season, however, will be free to join a team of his choice at the end of the season and that could be an incentive for Chiefs and Pirates to pull out all the stops to secure a proven 22-year old on a free transfer.
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