Sekhukhune are expeected to accept Kaizer Chiefs’ offer for Yusuf Maart. Image: iDiskiTimes / Twitter
Maart to Chiefs links: ‘Something is cooking!’
Sekhukhune chief executive officer Jonas Malatji says offers have been received for reported Chiefs target Yusuf Maart.
Sekhukhune are expeected to accept Kaizer Chiefs’ offer for Yusuf Maart. Image: iDiskiTimes / Twitter
It’s clear that Chiefs are looking to rebuild their squad to be more competitive next year, and after signing Siyethemba Sithebe from AmaZulu on a pre-contract, reports also suggest Amakhosi bosses have made a breakthrough in signing Yusuf Maart.
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The contract situation for Maart means Kaizer Chiefs were expected to have to table a sizeable transfer fee. Sekhukhune United CEO Jonas Malatji recently suggested he in fact expected Maart to stay with the club because the offers that had come through were not good enough.
In the latest development, Chiefs apparently tabled a second bid in their pursuit of Maart, who had a R10-million ‘price tag‘ from Sekhukhune.
According to recent reports, the two clubs have come to an agreement, while the player’s personal terms have been met, and he should sign off on the deal this week.
In an article by KickOff.com, it was also reported that Chiefs had reached an agreement with Sekhukhune, with the player’s currently club said to have dropped the initial asking price of R10-million.
Instead, it’s reported that a transfer figure of just under R6-million was settled upon, although it remains to be seen if there were any additions to this deal. There could also be certain performance-based clauses involved that could see him increasingly earn more at Amakhosi.
The two clubs are effectively believed to have met somewhere in the middle after the initial offer came in at R3-million, while the contract is set to be on a three-year deal.
Interestingly, though, Goal.com reports that it may not necessarily be a “done deal” for Maart to head to Chiefs, with other clubs also said to be interested in the services of the central midfielder. However, Malatji has confirmed offers are on the table.
“We have received some offers. But I won’t disclose the names of the teams. Something is cooking. We will see in two weeks’ time,” Malatji told GOAL.
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Chiefs are set to go through a crucial rebuilding phase under the leadership of Zwane
As Arthur Zwane takes on the Chiefs’ top job on a permanent basis, it was also revealed that Dillon Sheppard will serve as his assistant.
“Yes, I’ve been given that opportunity to lead as the head coach, but there will be other technical staff members who will be helping me,” Zwane said.
“As much as my head is on the block, I will still listen to them, because I trust all of them because no man is an island. If you want to apply for failure, just be a ‘Hitler’ and rule like him. What you say goes and you don’t listen to other people.
“Unfortunately, in this day and age in a game of football you are never going to get it right. You have to listen to other people and I’m lucky because I’m surrounded by good people and am getting support from the chairman, the board, sporting director [Kaizer Motaung Jnr] and football manager [Bobby Motaung] and the head of technical [Molefi Ntseki]. I consider myself lucky.”
