Now that Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has all but confirmed that the club has three new players they can’t yet register due to the FIFA ban, sending them out on “loan” is as not as simple a process as it could appear.
Read: Chiefs Trio's Loan Destination Revealed?
The Siya crew reported last month that goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, defender Sifiso Hlanti and midfielder Phathutshedzo Nange were all training at Naturena with the understanding that they would be offered employment contracts.
Last week, Hunt was asked about the trio following the decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to dismiss Chiefs’ appeal of the FIFA ban, and the coach pretty much gave it away that these players had agreed terms with Amakhosi.
He told journalists that they would probably have to be “loaned out” to get game-time because the club is prohibited from registering any new players for the next two transfer windows – and there remains some ambiguity on whether Chiefs can add them to their roster when they have served the ban in March next year – as free agents.
Read: FA's Understanding Of The Chiefs CAS Verdict
Indications are that Amakhosi could reach a gentlemen’s agreement with Swallows FC and Stellenbosch FC, the two interested clubs, to have the players on their books until the end of the 2020/21 season and then return them ahead of the following campaign.
Chiefs will require a “reverse clearance” to guarantee the players will come back to them and can be added to their squad next season, though this agreement cannot be lodged with the Premier Soccer League because of the FIFA ban. The "reverse clearance" means all three parties - Chiefs, the player and the club adding the player to their books for the short term - agree that the player will be released back to Amakhosi on June 30, 2021.
This means the trio will not – officially – be Amakhosi players, at least until June 30.
Story by @superjourno
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