Just prior to the start of the new season it was confirmed that Kaizer Chiefs had signed Yusuf Maart on a three-year deal with a two-year option.
The 27-year-old arrived from Sekhukhune FC where he spent two seasons in the GladAfrica Championship and DStv Premiership, and although he has quickly settled in at Chiefs, there has been a fierce spotlight on his performances.
“To be honest, if you are a hard worker and the supporters know what talent you have, if you make a mistake they will always be on your case because they know what you can do,” he commented, as quoted by Phakaaathi.
“It is still early in the league and everyone is trying to find their feet and get where we want to be. Everyone is still learning and as soon as everyone finds their feet and we start gelling then we will get what we want.
“As a footballer you cannot panic. You cannot play with fear because if you play with fear you will never enjoy the game. We are getting there and eventually we will get going.”
The midfielder’s club performances have earned him nine national team call-ups between 2021 and 2022, although Hugo Broos most recently opted to omit Maart when he selected his squad for friendlies against Sierra Leone and Botswana later this month.
Chiefs were believed to have expressed interest in Maart as far back as January, but Sekhukhune were apparently not in favour of selling their captain at that time.
According to a previous SABC Sport, when Chiefs first tabled an offer for Maart, it reportedly came in at less than the valuation placed on him by Sekhukhune.
After the first offer was rejected, however, it’s said that a second bid believed to be around R5-million was put forward by Amakhosi and accepted after the deal was once left in a precarious place.
