Thabo Cele is on the verge of joining Kaizer Chiefs after reaching an agreement on personal terms. The 28-year-old is set to make the move as a free agent following his recent departure from Russian Premier League club FC Fakel Voronezh.
Cele’s availability was confirmed last week when FC Fakel announced the mutual termination of his contract, citing family reasons that required the player to return home.
In their statement, FC Fakel clarified that while the midfielder was free to continue his career, his next move would be limited to a South African club.
This development presented a golden opportunity for Kaizer Chiefs, who have been keen admirers of Cele for several years. The club has reportedly come close to signing him on multiple occasions, and it now appears that they are finally set to secure their target.
Chiefs are said to have made an immediate offer for Cele after Fakel terminated his contract. Cele, who was in Turkey with the Russian club for their mid-season training camp, is said also to have agreed to personal terms with Amakhosi before arriving in South Africa on Sunday night.
The 28-year-old’s transfer fulfills an agreement with his previous Russian club, which stipulated that he would only join a South African team. His release was prompted by his need to be closer to his family due to a family member’s health issue. This agreement also prevented him from joining another overseas club during this period.
Sekhukhune United, who had previously expressed interest, withdrew from the race for Cele, paving the way for Chiefs to secure his signature this week. Orlando Pirates also reportedly made inquiries about the player.
Cele becomes Chiefs’ third signing of the transfer window, following the anticipated arrivals of striker Tashreeq Morris from SuperSport United and winger Makabi Lilepo from French third-tier club Valenciennes.
Hailing from KwaMashu, Cele’s career began in 2016 with Portuguese third-division side Real SC, after developing through the KZN Academy ranks in South Africa. He had a brief stint with Portuguese powerhouse Benfica before returning to Real SC on loan. In 2018, he moved to Cova da Piedade in the Portuguese second division, and later joined Polish club Radomiak Radom on a two-year contract after training with the team since September 2021.