Kaizer Chiefs may have announced that the 2023/24 season is long-serving Itumeleng Khune's final season as a player; however, Mzansi's finest appears to have other ideas.
At the start of the season, Chiefs upon the renewal of his contract had announced that it would be his last as a player at the club. While the 36-year-old says he respects the club's decision, he is keen on extending his playing career beyond the current season and will do the talking on the field to prove it.
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"That [retirement] is not guaranteed yet. It will depend on my performances on the field. Every player that is registered with the team is willing to work hard, compete for a place and give his all for the team every opportunity he gets.
"It's no different for me. Whenever I get an opportunity to perform so that I can get a new contract. I did mention at the start of the season that my body can still carry me until I'm 40 plus. If [Gianluigi] Buffon could do it until 45 and Hassam Al Hadary until 44 – who am I at the age of 36 to entertain the fact that someone has an idea that Itu must retire and I must also entertain it?" he told journalists at the Soweto Derby press conference.
"The club released a statement and it is well respected but at the end of the day, I've been playing, I'm competing and it will depend on my performances and come the end of the season, we will look at the stats and what I can still contribute going forward and that's when we'll make a decision at the end of the season.
"In the past goalkeepers and players have retired and had to come out of retirement to come back and compete again. It's no different because I'm still playing and I'll continue competing going forward," he said.
Khune has managed to reclaim the number one jersey from Brandon Petersen and has featured in Chiefs' win over Cape Town Spurs and is likely to feature in Chiefs' Soweto Derby on Saturday.
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