Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder headed to Azerbaijan

After being released by Kaizer Chiefs in April, Hendrick ‘Pule’ Ekstein has signed for Sabah Football Club in Azerbaijan’s Premier League.

Ekstein had been linked with Cape Town City and Chief’s fierce rivals Orlando Pirates but opted for a move to the town of Masazır near Baku.

The Azerbaijani club had two other African players in their first team squad before signing Ekstein, in the form of Guinea’s Amadou Diallo and French-born Congolese striker Kévin Koubemba. The squad’s biggest star at the moment is Ukrainian international Marko Devic.

A source close to the player revealed that Ekstein was on his way to Europe in a report by Soccer Laduma.

“Pule Ekstein is leaving for a club called Sabah in Azerbaijan. He has signed with the club. He is leaving tonight (Wednesday) to officially join his new club,” the source was quoted as saying.

From Soweto to Masazir

Ekstein made 91 appearances for Chiefs tallying seven goals and two assists during his time with the Soweto Giants.

Sabah FC finished seventh in the Azerbaijan Premier League narrowly avoiding being relegated from the eight-team top flight in their debut season in the league. The club was only formed September of 2017 and earned promotion to the Premier League in 2018. The last six editions of the league have been won by Qarabağ.

Azerbaijan Premier League clubs have almost the freedom to sign whatever number and category of players they wish. There are no team or individual salary caps, no squad size limits, no age restrictions other than those applied by general employment law, no restrictions on the overall number of foreign players, and few restrictions on individual foreign players. All players with foreign nationality are eligible to play, and top players from outside the EU are able to obtain Azerbaijani work permits with relative ease.