Mamelodi Sundowns loanee Neo Maema has broken his silence on choosing a transfer move to Simba SC over the Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs.
The attacking midfielder joined Tanzanian giants on a season-long loan from Sundowns in search of regular game-time. Maema struggled to break into the starting line-up under the current coach, Miguel Cardoso, who has publicly expressed his desire to work with a small squad.
The talented attacker went out of the exit door at Masandawana alongside other big players such as Sipho Mbule, Thembinkosi Lorch, Rivaldo Coetzee, Lebohang Maboe, Etiosa Ighodaro, Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Lucas Suárez, and Matias Esquivel.
Maema joined Simba with his former Sundowns teammate Rushine De Reuck under the guidance of South African coach Fadlu Davids, who has since left the club for a new project at Raja Casablanca in Morocco.
Before penning a loan deal with Simba, the former Bloemfontein Celtic star was reportedly on the radar of Chiefs, who were looking to add him to their squad for the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season.
WHAT NEO MAEMA SAID ABOUT HIS FAILED MOVE TO KAIZER CHIEFS
The left-footed attacker has confirmed that Chiefs showed interest in him; however, he made a personal choice to look for a fresh challenge outside of the PSL.
“I was aware [of the Chiefs’ interest] and it’s something that my agent also mentioned to me. I sat down with my family and I told them that the only thing that will help me now is actually a completely new environment,” Maema said on Soccer Beat Podcast.
“That was my decision, and the new environment was not going to be another club in South Africa. I think it has to be outside of South Africa if I find an offer.
“And Simba came at the right time because I was still focusing on the CHAN tournament at that time [with Bafana Bafana]. They approached me and I thought it might be good because the only thing I wanted to push for was the [CAF] Champions League and make sure that I give myself a memorable season, compete and never drop my level as a player.”
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