Orlando Pirates star Monnapule Saleng has revealed how Kaizer Chiefs missed out on signing him.
Saleng was speaking to Bafana Bafana media officer Romy Titus during the ongoing national team camp in Nelspruit.
Bafana are preparing for an international friendly match against Mozambique on Thursday and Angola on Sunday at the Mbombela Stadium.
SALENG REWARDED WITH CALL UP
National team coach Hugo Broos has handed Saleng a call-up following his recent form for Pirates. Saleng, according to Transfermkt, has scored five goals in eight appearances across all competitions. Two of his goals came in the DStv Premiership, while three were scored in the MTN8.
The talented winger helped the Buccaneers lift the MTN8 Cup after a scintillating semi-final display that destroyed Mamelodi Sundowns. Saleng was also on target in the final of the MTN8 as they beat AmaZulu 1-0 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
And now, he has made a startling revelation that Amakhosi tracked him for a while with the intention of signing, but nothing came out of it.
“I was meant to play for Kaizer Chiefs because there is a scout that was tracking me while I was at Free State Stars,” he told SAFA media.
“And I don’t know what happened. It’s football. In the end, I ended up playing for Pirates. I could have played for Chiefs while at Free State Stars, but they delayed, and I don’t know what happened.”
Interestingly, in 2021, ahead of his move to Pirates, the Bloemhof-born ace told veteran sports journalist Velile Mnyandu which team he grew up supporting.
GREW UP SUPPORTING AMAKHOSI
Mnyandu had asked him if he grew up a Buccaneers, and his answer was: “No, no [laughs], I grew up supporting Chiefs.”
Saleng spent the 2021/22 season on loan at Swallows before linking up with the Soweto giants at the start of this season.
The 24-year-old is enjoying his Bucs spell under the tutelage of Spaniard Jose Riveiro.
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