With the transfer restriction lifted, the Amakhosi have strengthened their squad with nine new additions ahead of the 2021/22 season. Who is the Chiefs’ finest new signing this season?
Chiefs were unable to make any new signings during the previous two registration sessions after receiving a year-long FIFA transfer ban in connection with the club’s acquisition of Andriamirado Andrianamimanana.
With the suspension officially lifted, head coach Stuart Baxter moved fast to bolster his team, with nine new faces already arriving at Naturena ahead of the 2021/22 season.
Sibusiso Mabiliso (defender)
Stuart Baxter has also added another left-back, Mabiliso, from AmaZulu, to his team. The 22-year-old has impressed with the Durban-based club over the previous four seasons with Usuthu and was recently named to South Africa’s team for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
Keagan Dolly (midfielder)
Dolly (28), who joined the Amakhosi on a free transfer from Ligue 1 club Montpellier last month, returned to South African football for the first time in five years. The Bafana Bafana player formerly played for Mamelodi Sundowns, where he was a member of the team that memorably won the treble in the 2015/16 season.
Austin Dube (defender)
Dube (28), a former Richards Bay defender, is another newcomer to the Chiefs this season. The towering centre-back joins the club after a great performance at the 2021 COSAFA Cup, where he played a key role in South Africa’s trophy-winning campaign in Gqeberha.
Sifiso Hlanti (defender)
Hlanti’s move to Chiefs was delayed last season owing to the club’s transfer restriction, but he has now joined the Glamour Boys ahead of the 2021/22 season. Last season, the Bafana Bafana left-back played for Soweto rivals Swallows FC, where he made 18 appearances across all competitions.
Phathutshedzo Nange (midfielder)
Similarly to Hlanti’s deal, Nange (29) had to wait a year before being able to join Kaizer Chiefs. The former Bidvest Wits star moved to Stellenbosch FC last season and made 24 appearances before finally completing his move to Naturena.
Njabulo Ngcobo (defender)
In one of the biggest will-he-won’t-he sagas of the transfer window, Ngcobo (27) finally traded Swallows for Chiefs when he joined the Amakhosi at the start of last month. The 2020/21 DStv Premiership Defender of the Season was also reported to have been a target of Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of the upcoming campaign.
Brandon Peterson (goalkeeper)
After leaving now-defunct Bidvest Wits in 2020, Peterson (26) spent a year in the wilderness before joining the Glamour Boys as a free agent. The former Ajax Cape Town star enjoyed a perfect debut for Baxter’s side when he starred as the club’s hero during a penalty shootout victory over Orlando Pirates in the Carling Black Label Cup.
Kgaogelo Sekgota (winger)
Chiefs concluded their raid of Swallows with the signing of winger Sekgotla (24) as one of their attacking reinforcements. The Seshego-born star, who previously enjoyed a spell in Portugal, joins former Wits teammates Peterson and Nange at Naturena after playing 26 matches for the Dube Birds last season.
Cole Alexander (midfielder)
Alexander (32) signed a three-year contract with the Chiefs after playing the previous season with Odisha FC in the Indian Super League. The experienced midfielder brings more than 200 DStv Premiership appearances to Naturena, having previously played for Ajax Cape Town, Vasco da Game, Chippa United, Polokwane City, SuperSport United, and Bidvest Wits.
