Kaizer Chiefs have signed one Portugal-based defender in Nkanyiso Shinga, though he was not the first who impressed the technical team at Naturena. The Siya crew investigates what went wrong with their original target from Portugal.
As previously reported by Soccer Laduma, Amakhosi were initially interested in signing right-back Mhleli Innocent Mabuza as he had impressed the technical team, but that deal did not go through.
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An insider with access to Chiefs' scouting information has indicated that although the club was understood to be willing to sign the 24-year-old, his club Louletano DC were asking for close to R10 million.
This created confusion as it was understood Mabuza's contract was coming to an end on 30 June, a date which has recently passed by.
"The fact is that the club is believed to have been happy with Mhleli (Mabuza) after the first trials in May and apparently they invited him back for pre-season training at the Village. But when talks started it was believed that his Portuguese club was asking for a compensation fee of around R10 million although his contract was coming to an end on 30th June," the source told Soccer Laduma.
"Chiefs felt that was not fair and too much for a free agent while they were paying around R4.5million for Nkanyiso Shinga who had one year left on his contract and also playing in Portugal. It's believed that it was just a way to stall the move because they still wanted him at the club and asking for compensation was the best way to keep him in Portugal. So it's believed that although the club really wanted to sign him, the R10 million compensation fee is believed to have scared Chiefs away," the insider added.
Meanwhile, a second insider close to Naturena stated that Chiefs would have felt it was not good business to sign a free agent for that fee while they had a chance of signing another free agent in the same position.
"It was also a choice between Mhleli (Mabuza) and Thabiso Monyane. Monyane was a free agent from Pirates while Mabuza could have been free but his club was asking for compensation and business wise the club had to go with Monyane hence the Mhleli Mabuza deal didn't work out despite the defender impressing the technical team," the second source told the Siya crew.
Chiefs will now have players like Reeve Frosler, Dillan Solomons and Thabiso Monyane to compete for the right-back position at the club this coming season, with other defenders like Zitha Kwinika also able to fit in at right-back.
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Soccer Laduma contacted Chiefs for comment on the issue but there was no response at the time of publishing this story.
The R10 million compensation demand highlights the challenges South African clubs face when attempting to bring talent from Europe due to the high euro to rand currency exchange.
While Chiefs clearly saw potential in Mabuza, the financial realities pushed them toward the more economical Monyane signing, who comes with the added benefit of PSL experience. With right-back now well-stocked with options, Amakhosi appear to have resolved one positional need despite missing out on their initial target.
