GladAfrica defender emerges as surprise target for Kaizer Chiefs! But they face competition

Cape Town All Stars defender Ryan Baartman has emerged as a reported transfer target for Kaizer Chiefs for next season. 

READ | STUART BAXTER EXPLAINS KAIZER CHIEFS TRANSFER STRATEGY, TAKES A SWIPE AT MAMELODI SUNDOWNS

Chiefs failed to add any player to their squad in the January transfer window, but now appear to be planning ahead with Baartman in mind. 

Baartman interesting Chiefs

The move for Baartman may yet prove to be a complicated one for Chiefs, however, as the the player is said to still have one more year left on his All Stars contract. That will effectively mean Amakhosi will have to fork out a transfer fee for the 24-year-old’s services. That becomes a bit of a sticking point, because the Soweto giants are not known to be a side that pays transfer fees, over the past couple of seasons. 

Face PSL competition

On top of reporting that Chiefs have shown an interest in the player, Soccer-Laduma also reports that they will not have it all their own way in their pursuit of Baartman. The publication believes that the club will face competition from fellow DStv Premiership sides Cape Town City, Stellenbosch and TS Galaxy. 

READ | HUGE UPDATE GIVEN ON STUART BAXTER’S KAIZER CHIEFS FUTURE

What will be encouraging for Chiefs as well as City, Stellenbosch and Galaxy, will be the fact that All Stars are reportedly ready and willing to listen to offers for Baartman, in the coming window. 

All Stars resigned to losing his services

“Interest is pouring in for Cape Town All Stars defender Ryan Baartman and there are a few more clubs from Gauteng that are monitoring him. It is some of the top clubs in the league and it looks like All Stars might struggle to hold on to him at the end of the season as there is a buyout clause on the player’s contract,” Said a source to Soccer-Laduma.

READ | KAIZER CHIEFS BREAK THEIR SILENCE ON AMAZULU’S PUBLIC TRANSFER COMMENTS

Baartman is a centre back by trade, which is a position Chiefs are not thought to be lacking in at the moment. The Glamour Boys happen to have the likes of Daniel Cardoso, Eric Mathoho, Siyabonga Ngezana, Austin Dube, and Njabulo Ngcobo who can play at the heart of the defence. It then remains to be seen where Baartman would fit should he join the club.