Richards Bay FC are close to completing the signing of defender Thabani Zuke following his departure from Golden Arrows.
The centre-back was recently released by Abafana Bes’thende, along with striker Knox Mutizwa, for different reasons.
For Zuke, according to the sources close to the club, Arrows believed he had penned a deal with their crosstown rivals AmaZulu FC.
His contract was set to expire at the end of the season, and he had turned down Arrows’ contract extension offers a couple of times as he sought a move elsewhere.
RICHARDS BAY SET TO STRENGTHEN THEIR DEFENCE WITH ZUKE
As first reported by Sportwire, Richards Bay are seemingly set to complete the signing of the 26-year-old to strengthen their defence ahead of the new season.
Zuke has been with Arrows’ first team since his promotion at the beginning of the 2019/20 campaign. He was part of the reserve team that won the Multichoice Diski Challenge [now DDC] in 2018.
He has played 93 matches for Arrows, contributing one goal and one assist. This season, the 26-year-old has featured in 12 games across all competitions.
His arrival at Richards Bay would further strengthen their defence, which has already improved significantly this season. They’ve conceded just 26 goals so far, a marked improvement from the 37 they let in last year.
Meanwhile, Zuke’s signing is a logical move for the club, especially with Austin Dube’s imminent departure at the end of the season. Dube, who has only featured in three matches this season and hasn’t been training with the team recently, is clearly on his way out.
Moreover, Richards Bay recently bolstered their squad for the remainder of the current season and the upcoming campaign with the signings of Mfundo Thikazi and Sbangani Shezi from Royal AM.
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