Pirates fan-favourite linked with shock move to Chiefs

Orlando Pirates midfielder Kabelo Dlamini is reportedly set to join rivals Kaizer Chiefs in July.

Dlamini, whose contract with Pirates is set to expire at the end of June, is said to have signed a pre-contract agreement with Amakhosi.

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Speculation has been rife about the 29-year-old attacking midfielder’s future at Pirates, especially after struggling for regular game time under head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou this season.

Ouaddou was asked about Dlamini after his side’s Nedbank Cup exit at the hands of Casric Stars last Saturday, and the Moroccan coach said the player was nursing an injury.

“Dlamini is injured at the moment. I don’t know if you know about that. It’s been about three weeks since he had the injury. But he’s coming back, and he’s in rehabilitation,” said Ouaddou.

But word is that the real reason why Dlamini has not been playing at Pirates is that he has signed a pre-contract with Chiefs.

Meanwhile, former |Chiefs defender Tsepo Masilela believes Dlamini would be a good addition to the Amakhosi squad.

“If I look at the Kaizer Chiefs midfield, I think he brings a different dimension. He can play as a No.10 or as a No.8. On set-pieces, he’s deadly, especially from free-kicks,” said Masilela on the SoccerBeat podcast.

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“It’s been a while since I’ve seen a player as good as he is. The last one was Shabba (Siphiwe Tshabalala). You need a player who can bail you out with free-kicks, and he’s that kind of player,” added the former Bafana Bafana left-back.