Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr has explained the reason behind Thatayaone Ditlhokwe’s sudden departure from the Soweto giants to Libyan club Al Ittihad.
The Soweto giants announced on Friday that they have finalised an agreement with Al-Ittihad for the transfer of Ditlhokwe.
Ditlhokwe’s move to the 19-time Libyan Premier League champions comes after an 18-month stint with Amakhosi, where he made 32 appearances across all competitions. He joined Chiefs from SuperSport United at the beginning of the 2023/24 season.
While primarily used as a left-sided centre-back in his first season, the 26-year-old Botswana national team captain was more recently deployed as a left-back by coach Nasreddine Nabi.
Ditlhokwe’s departure comes just as his career at Chiefs appeared to be taking off, marked by strong performances that had earned him a regular spot in the starting eleven.
KAIZER JR ON DITLHOKWE’S SHOCK CHIEFS EXIT
According to Chiefs, Ditlhokwe is expected to travel to Tripoli this weekend to join his new teammates and coaching staff. He will be joining a squad that already includes his Botswana national teammate, Tumisang Orebonye, who recently joined Al Ittihad from AS FAR Rabat.
Motaung Jr stated that it was a difficult decision to release Ditlhokwe, but he emphasised that the club does not ‘impede’ players who wish to seek new opportunities, acknowledging the player’s desire to move on.
He also expressed gratitude for Ditlhokwe’s contributions to Kaizer Chiefs and wished him the best in his future endeavours.
“It was not an easy decision for us when Al-Ittihad approached us regarding TT. We engaged the player, and during our discussions, he expressed his desire to move to Libya for further experience and opportunities,” said Kaizer Motaung Jr.
The Amakhosi sporting director added: “As a club, we didn’t want to impede his progress, and we appreciate his professionalism and discipline. Although we will miss him, we believe this is a fantastic opportunity for him, and we would like to thank him for his dedicated service to Chiefs and wish him the best of luck in his new venture.”
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