Despite swirling speculation linking a former PSL winger with a return to South Africa, sources at a powerhouse club have moved to distance themselves from these persistent rumours.
A high-ranking insider in Kaizer Chiefs' structures has indicated that the club is past that stage and have set their sights on other players.
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The Naturena insider stated that Amakhosi are not willing to sign Elias Mokwana in this moment but they are instead working on getting in Oswin Appollis.
"No. Not at all. Chiefs are not interested in Elias Mokwana. If it was last season maybe it could have been true but not at the moment. Yes, the team is looking at beefing up the squad but it's obviously not Elias Mokwana. That's not true," the source told Soccer Laduma, refuting the rumours published in other media.
Meanwhile, a technical team confidant stated that the Bafana Bafana winger that Chiefs are interested in is Polokwane City's Oswin Appollis, a player the Siya crew previously linked to the club.
"If you were talking about Appollis I could have agreed with you. It's an open secret that Chiefs are interested in him. The negotiations are believed to be at an advanced stage as there are a few logistics they are working on but not Elias Mokwana," the second insider revealed.
Soccer Laduma contacted Mokwana's representatives Cream Sports who also denied knowledge of Chiefs' interest in their client.
"It's not true. Elias Mokwana is not joining Kaizer Chiefs. There is nothing like that. I think people are having wishes, and it's one of those disturbing stories. We have not received nor heard any word from Chiefs and I can tell you, Mokwana is still happy at Esperance," Cream Sports told the Siya crew.
At the start of last season, Kaizer Chiefs were looking at signing Mokwana but he ended up joining Esperance de Tunis where he has been doing very well, then attracting interest from different European leagues including France and Holland. He will now be traveling to the USA for the FIFA Club World Cup with Esperance.
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Soccer Laduma contacted Chiefs for official comment on these links but there was no response at the time of publishing this story.
With Chiefs apparently pursuing Appollis instead, it seems the Glamour Boys have shifted their focus to domestic talent rather than attempting to lure Mokwana back from his successful stint in Tunisia. The fact that Esperance will be competing in the FIFA Club World Cup further complicates any potential return to South Africa for the winger, who appears to have moved beyond the PSL at this stage of his career.
For Amakhosi supporters, attention will now turn to the pursuit of Appollis, with the Polokwane City star potentially offering the creative spark that Chiefs have been lacking on the flanks.
