Kaizer Chiefs are pursuing deals for several exciting targets as the January window approaches. Here are six attackers and their estimated values.
Kaizer Chiefs’ rumoured attacking wishlist
Michael Olunga
30-year-old Michael Olunga bagged a hat-trick in the first match of this season’s Qatar Stars League. In his entire club career, he’s scored a stunning tally of 190 goals in 253 matches. In his last 61 league matches in Qatar, he’s scored a ludicrous 62 goals. No matter who you’re playing for, a scoring rate of more than a goal per game is absurd.
Olunga has played for Kenyan giants Gor Mahia, Swedish side Djurgardens, Spanish LaLiga’s Girona, Chinese outfit Hengfeng, Kashiwa Reysol from Japan’s J-League and Qatari club Al-Duhail SC. To say he’s Kenya’s greatest is probably an understatement, but perhaps brother duo Victor Wanyama and McDonald Mariga would like a word. However, his wage demands and signing-on fee will likely be prohibitive for the Kaizer Chiefs board.
Estimates transfer value: R172 million
Khaled DESOUKI / AFP
Asanele Velebayi
Cape Town Spurs winger Asanele Velebayi is a long-standing target. Thought of as a massive prospect for Bafana Bafana, the 21-year-old has winger been with Spurs for a decade and their CEO wants to get the maximum value out of a sale, should it come to that.
Estimated transfer value: R10 million
Zakhele Lepasa
According to KickOff, Kaizer Chiefs have been linked with a sensational swoop for Orlando Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa. The 27-year-old has seven caps for Bafana Bafana but has fallen well out of favour for the national team after losing his place in matchday squads for Pirates. He’s yet to make an appearance in any competition this season after returning from a loan spell with SuperSport last term.
Estimated transfer value: R12.4 million
Elias Mokwana
Elias Mokwana looked on the brink of an exit from Esperance last week after his club reportedly breached their contract with the 25-year-old over failed payments. The situation looks a lot different now, however. Mokwana returns to Esperance now after the conclusion of Afcon qualifiers.
Estimated transfer value: R14.4 million
Oswin Appollis
Elias Mokwana, Khanyisa Mayo and Iqraam Rayners are other South African attackers who’ve made big moves either abroad or within the Betway Premiership. Mokwana moved to Esperance for 370k (R7.2 million), Rayners switched to Sundowns for an undisclosed fee although his estimated transfer value now stands at R35 million (evidence of the power Sundowns have over the market) and Mayo is in Algeria with Belouizdad in a deal which cost his new employers €750k (R14.5 million).Â
Estimated transfer value: R11.4 million
Percy Tau
Egyptian giants Al Ahly, with whom Percy Tau has won 10 major honours, wish to sell the South African winger to recoup some of the R34.4 million fee (in today’s terms) they shelled out to sign him from Brighton in 2021. Although 30-year-old Tau has been a rock-solid performer for them, they feel his performances have stagnated. Tau has scored 29 goals and supplied 13 assists in 116 Al Ahly outings.
Estimated transfer value: R29 million
Can Chiefs lure any of these players to Naturena, given the hefty transfer fees likely to be involved?
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