Chiefs favourites to sign SuperSport defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe

SABC Sport has it on good authority that Amakhosi are in fact preparing an offer to try lure the centre back to Naturena now in January before the window closes at the end of the month instead of waiting for next season. 

It’s a surprise twist in Chiefs’ pursuit of a central defender having initially approached SuperSport for Luke Fleurs. 

But with the SA junior international putting pen to paper on a new three-and-a-half year deal, the potential move collapsed even before the Soweto giants could reach advanced stages in talks with their Tshwane rivals for a transfer. 

SuperSport were willing sellers, but in the end it did not seem as though Chiefs agreed with their asking price for the reigning Young Footballer of the Year. 

Ditlhokwe is two years older than Fleurs and will be a free agent at the end of the season, meaning he could either sign a pre-contract with Chiefs now and join them without SuperSport getting a cent six months later. 

The Botswana international signed for Matsatsantsa exactly three years ago from Township Rollers and has grown to be a pivotal part of coach Gavin Hunt’s squad this season, although he has missed the previous two matches due to injury. 

According to SABC Sport sources, the Glamour Boys have taken a decision to try and sign Ditlhokwe in the coming days to beef up what is clearly a problem position at the club at the moment given their most recent results. 

What has emerged is that SuperSport have accepted that the defender will not be part of their squad next season, it only remains to be seen whether that includes the second half of the 2022/23 campaign or not. 

That all depends on Chiefs’ cut-price offer.