Thibang Phete names Soweto giants who sought his signature
While recovering from a lengthy injury spell, away from the spotlight, Thibang Phete has revealed the Soweto giants who made attempts to secure his signature.
Even during a challenging period of rehabilitation, Phete, who has played for Bafana Bafana, remained a target for South Africa’s top clubs, a testament to his undeniable talent.
Phete recently joined Iceland’s elite league team IF Vestri after a lengthy time on the sidelines. The 31-year-old, who has spent most of his career in Europe, was without a club for nearly 10 months.
He left Portugal side GD Chaves in August 2024, at a time he was also nursing an injury. And while he was unattached, he was not short of potential suitors.
When asked if he ever considered taking Betway Premiership offers during his layoff, ‘Cafu’, as Phete is known, disclosed to FARPost that Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs came knocking on his door last year.
KAIZER CHIEFS MADE ADVANCES TO SIGN ICELAND-BASED DEFENDER PHETE
Though nothing materialised, he said Chiefs were keen to sign him as they wanted to ascertain his availability.
“Things have been good so far, I’m trying to adapt to the weather [in Iceland], but I’m very grateful for the opportunity they [IF Vestri] gave me,” Phete told FARPost. “I have considered coming back home, especially now with having a new family, my decision will always be surrounding them. Even coming to Iceland was a bit difficult for them but I had make the sacrifice.
“With Kaizer Chiefs, we only spoke at the beginning of the season. They spoke to my team [agency], but it was only concerning my availability and whether I would be willing to join. But there were no further talks after that until today.”
Phete is one of the few South African stars who has never played in the SA top flight. The centre-back, who can also play as a midfielder, only played for Milano United FC in the lower division. He was groomed by Farouk Khan at Stars of Africa Academy.
Before switching to the Iceland club, Phete had stints at several clubs in Portugal and a one-year stint at Al Bataeh Club in the United Arab Emirates Premier League.
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