Kaizer Chiefs captain Yusuf Maart is set to join newly promoted Austrian Bundesliga side SV Ried 1912, where he will link up with former Stellenbosch FC winger Antonio van Wyk.
Maart remained in South Africa while Amakhosi travelled to the Netherlands for their pre-season tour, following a reported club-to-club agreement.
Despite recently extending his contract with Chiefs for another two years, SV Ried’s offer prompted the move. SV Ried secured promotion last season, with the help of fellow South African Van Wyk.
Adding to the South African contingent at the club is Moritz Kossmann, former coach at Ubuntu Academy and Cape Town City FC Diski Challenge. Kossmann, who moved to Europe in 2024, serves as the assistant coach and chief analyst for the club, also known as SV Guntamatic Ried for sponsorship reasons.
The team plays its home matches at Josko Arena, which has a capacity of 7500. The club will compete in the Austrian Football Bundesliga, the top tier of the Austrian football league system, after gaining promotion in the 2024/25 Austrian 2 Liga season.
MAART AWAITS VISA AMIDST PRE-SEASON PREPARATIONS
The former Sekhukhune United captain is racing against the clock to join Austrian side SV Ried. While awaiting his visa, Maart is maintaining peak fitness with a renowned private trainer in Johannesburg, hoping to link up with his new team as soon as possible.
SV Ried’s pre-season is already underway, and the club is eager to have Maart available. They are particularly keen for him to feature in their friendly match against German third-division side Energie Cottbus at the Innviertel Arena on Friday, July 18.
The club has a packed schedule leading up to the start of their season. Following the Energie Cottbus friendly, they will face SKU Amstetten on Saturday, July 19. Their UNIQA ÖFB Cup campaign begins with a first-round match against SC/ESV Parndorf 1919 on Friday, July 25.
Ried will then kick off their Bundesliga season with a tough encounter against RB Salzburg on Saturday, August 2.
Maart isn’t the only Southern African talent joining Ried this season. He joins alongside 22-year-old Zambian forward Kingstone Mutandwa, who has signed with the club on a season-long loan from Italian side Cagliari Calcio.
RELATED STORY: Imminent overseas move keeps Maart from Chiefs‘ Netherlands tour