With speculation rife that Young Africans’ talisman is on the radar of PSL clubs, FARPost details the full Fiston Mayele transfer story.
Mayele has been in sensational form for Yanga, scoring 54 goals in all competitions in the last two seasons.
Thanks to his form, he has caught the interest of clubs in Sudan, Egypt, Morocco and three in the PSL. But how far have PSL clubs gone in pursuing the Congolese gunslinger?
KAIZER CHIEFS TRANSFER LINK
For a while, Mayele has been linked to Kaizer Chiefs who signed his countryman Christian Saile in January.
They also have Caleb Bimenyimana, whom they signed at the start of the season. The Burundian looks set to leave the club, although he still has a year left on his contract.
FARPost can confirm that Chiefs have never made official contact with Young Africans.
“We’ve not received any official communication from any PSL club regarding Fiston Mayele,” Yanga president Hersi Ally Said told FARPost.
The player further confirmed that he had not spoken to anyone from Chiefs. “I see the speculation, but I’ve never spoken to anyone from the club, nor has my management spoken to anyone at Chiefs,” Mayele told FARPost.
A Yanga player who is close to the 28-year-old forward went on to reveal what he thinks about Chiefs’ supposed interest.
“He follows the PSL a lot and sees the instability at Chiefs. It’s obviously a concern for him, and if he had a chance to join another team other than Chiefs, he would.
“They’re definitely not top of the teams he would be eager to join. He is also unsure if they’ve given his scouting due diligence.”
Chiefs have just finished the season in fifth place and will not play in any CAF interclub competition.
This comes after they missed out on the Nedbank Cup, where their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates, dumped them out of the competition.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS SHOW INTEREST IN Fiston Mayele
The player further reveals that of all PSL teams, Sundowns are the ones who showed ‘some level of interest’.
Sundowns reportedly scouted the player and prepared a detailed scouting report on him.
While in Rustenburg last week before the CAF Confederation Cup semi-final return leg against Marumo, he was reportedly visited by a representative of Sundowns.
“They reached out to him, although not official. It painted a picture of what he would expect from Sundowns. If there’s a South African club he would gladly join, it’s Sundowns,” the player revealed.
According to him, the Brazilians are a team Mayele would be eager to join should they pursue the interest.
FARPost can confirm that a detailed scouting report was presented towards the end of 2022. However, there has yet to be a consensus within the club that Mayele would suit their style.
It, therefore, looks unlikely that Sundowns would go for the Yanga talisman.
SEKHUKHUNE UNITED EXPLORING MAYELE OPTION
With CAF Confederation Cup football next season, Sekhukhune United are exploring the Mayele option.
The former AS Vita forward has scored six goals, helping Timu Ya Wananchi get to the competition’s final.
He has previously played in the CAF Champions League with Vita and has experience at that level.
Babina Noko, who play CAF by being in the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates, who play in the Champions League, may use his services.
However, there have been no official talks between the two parties.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO SIGN MAYELE
The release clause on the player’s contract is in the region of R9.7 million. At the end of the season, he will have a year left on his contract.
But when he signed a new deal last year, the club promised they would not stand in his way if an offer came.
“We’re open to letting him go, he has done well for us, and if the right offer comes, we will gladly consider it,” said Yanga’s boss.
His salary demands would be in the region of R450000 [net pay]. Whether Chiefs and Sekhukhune would be prepared to fork out that kind of money remains to be seen.
Or, better still, convince him to take a package similar to what he earns at the Jangwani Giants. And then again, his other suitors in other leagues like North Africa and the Middle East easily match that.
“I have a few games left before the end of the season. The most important is the CAF final because we’ve won the league already. So, my focus, for now, is that.
“At the end of the season, I’ll sit down and discuss my future with my management. I’ll then make the decision best for my career,” Mayele told FARPost through an interpreter.
DOUBTS PSL CLUBS WOULD COMPETE FOR MAYELE’S SIGNATURE
Young Africans coach Nasreddine Nabi doubts PSL clubs would compete for the services of his trusted marksman.
“Yes, I’m so excited about him because I’m the one who discovered him from AS Vita and brought him to the team,” Nabi told FARPost.
“There’s one year left on his contract. We’re not sure if he will stay because there’s interest from all over the world.
“We don’t know what we’ll do without him, but it is what it is.” The Tunisian mentor revealed that whoever wants him must “pay too much money”.
With interest from North Africa and the Middle East, PSL clubs may find it challenging to convince Mayele to move down South.
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