JOHANNESBURG – Kaizer Chiefs
and Siyanda Xulu will part ways on Monday, and the once revered defender is
believed to be on his way to Cape
Town City.
Msizi Gumede, spokesperson at Siyavuma Sports Agency, told
Independent Media that Xulu will be plying his trade elsewhere next season.
“We have found an amicable solution with Kaizer Chiefs on
Siyanda Xulu’s matter. We have reached an agreement with the club, and on
Monday, we will conclude everything,” he said.
“I can confirm that Siyanda is leaving Chiefs and in the
next few weeks, he will be playing for the new club.”
A source, meanwhile, has revealed that Xulu is on his way to
City. “Xulu has offers locally and abroad. Benni McCarthy wants to
sign him at Cape Town
City.
“But he is competing with Atletico Madrid’s franchise, Atletico de Kolkata, who
campaign in the Indian Super League. They have already tabled an offer for
Xulu. At the moment, City are leading the race, and it is likely that he will
end up at City,” the source said.
Independent Media has gathered that Chiefs were offering
Xulu a three-month salary settlement, but the player and his agent refused it.
Xulu, believed to be one of the highest paid players at Amakhosi, is still left with three years on his contract.
He made his name at Mamelodi Sundowns before he joined the
Russian outfit FC Rostov. The KwaMashu-born defender joined Chiefs two seasons
ago, arriving with high expectations after having played in Europe.
Chiefs signed Xulu with an eye to replacing Tefu Mashamaite,
who left the club for Swedish side FC Hackens after a stellar season in which
he helped them win the league championship.
But Xulu just did not cut it, and spent most of his time on
the bench.
Should he join City, he would be one of a few top names to
sign for the club in this transfer window period. City first replaced coach Eric Tinkler (who joined
SuperSport United) with legendary Bafana Bafana marksman Benni McCarthy.
On the players’ front, they signed Ayanda Patosi from the
Belgian side FC Lokeren, and they then unveiled Sundowns playmaker Teko Modise
as their latest star.
De Kolkata, the other club in the running for Xulu’s
signature, have dominated the Indian Super League, and also have former Ajax Cape
Town star Sameehg Doutie on their books.