News emerging from Naturena suggests Kaizer Chiefs have a challenge to keep one of their forwards, who has garnered interest from a Liga Portugal side, the Siya crew has been informed.
Siya sources close to the club have indicated that Vitoria SC have expressed a keen interest in securing the services of Ashley Du Preez for the upcoming season. The Portuguese outfit has been monitoring the striker's performances since the last campaign and believes he could be a valuable addition to their squad.
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"Portuguese club, Vitoria SC have shown interest in Ashley (Du Preez) and they apparently sent their scouts to watch a few games in South Africa where the player was in action. It is now up to Chiefs to give the player the chance to go for an assessment when the Portuguese team returns to their base for a pre-season camp but the interest is there," the Siya source stated.
A second insider has noted that Amakhosi are open to the idea of Du Preez's departure, but only if they can secure a suitable replacement before the season commences.
"As much as they were willing to let him go as they won't stand in the way of a player who has a chance to go to Europe, they are first looking to find a replacement so that they are not left short in that department. Obviously if it's a good deal like that of Siya (Ngezana) last year then they will take it but they want to find a replacement first," said the second source.
"They cannot ignore interest from Europe because it has it's own good benefits and that's why they will consider it if it's good. And in this case it is a very good deal which will give the team a good financial boost as well," the source added.
The 26-year-old Du Preez, who joined Chiefs from Stellenbosch FC, made 23 league appearances in the recently concluded season, finding the back of the net four times. His potential move to Vitoria SC could not only represent a significant step in his career but also a financial uplift for Chiefs, should the transfer eventually materialise.
When the transfer window heats up, the situation surrounding Du Preez's future at Chiefs and any potential move will be closely monitored.
Soccer Laduma contacted Chiefs for comment but the club did not respond by the time this report was published.
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