An emotional Itumeleng Khune has laid bare his frustration over Kaizer Chiefs’ transfer market plight, claiming Amakhosi are fighting an unfair battle against PSL rivals who deliberately double player price tags to keep top talent out of Naturena.
The Glamour Boys have had minimal activity in the transfer window so far, signing just two players on free transfers. Chiefs completed the signing of Renaldo Leaner following his exit from Sekhukhune United. The Soweto giants also snapped up highly-rated centre-back Thabo Moloisane on a free transfer after he parted ways with Stellenbosch FC at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Chiefs are preparing for a new era under the guidance of newly-appointed head coach Fernando Da Cruz ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. Da Cruz replaces interim co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze, who parted company with the club last month after taking charge in September 2025.
With the French mentor in the driving seat, Amakhosi are hoping for an improved showing and a strong push for silverware in the upcoming season. And in their bid to build a competitive squad and challenge Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns for titles, Chiefs are also in a gruelling chase for the signature of Stellies star Langelihle Phili.
As previously reported by FARPost, Stellenbosch have slapped a R16 million price tag on the talented winger, making the transfer complex for the Naturena-based side. However, Tanzanian champions Young Africans were also quoted the same figure as Amakhosi when they enquired about the highly-rated 21-year-old earlier this year.
INSIDE KAIZER CHIEFS’ FRUSTRATING TRANSFER SAGAS: FROM PHILI TO VELEBAYI AND BASADIEN
The situation with Phili mirrors previous transfer sagas at Naturena. Before Asanele Velebayi eventually joined Chiefs on a free transfer following Cape Town Spurs’ relegation to the amateur ranks, the Western Cape side had initially demanded a staggering R12 million price tag, which was only later trimmed down to R10 million.
Chiefs’ attempts to secure Oswin Appollis were thwarted despite reportedly making several lucrative offers, only to see Pirates land him from Polokwane City FC last season. Amakhosi also missed out on Elias Mokwana, who was eventually sold to Espérance de Tunis for a reduced price, while negotiations for Keletso Makgalwa hit the exact same pricing wall.
For Khune and Chiefs, these collapsed deals highlight a recurring issue in the PSL transfer market.
Khune’s sentiments echo previous strong statements made by Kaizer Chiefs Marketing and Commercial Director Jessica Motaung, who previously rubbished claims that Amakhosi fail to sign top targets due to financial constraints. Motaung dismissed suggestions of budget limitations as “absolute nonsense,” insisting Chiefs possess a larger budget than most domestic rivals and are actively investing in talent.
However, she pointed a finger at the South African transfer market, questioning whether asking prices remain fair when Amakhosi come knocking.
WHAT KHUNE SAID ABOUT KAIZER CHIEFS TRANSFER ACTIVITIES
While Chiefs have not given up on securing Phili, Khune shared his thoughts on the club’s transfer activities, insinuating local clubs are making it difficult for his former team to sign players with unreasonable price tags.
“I think, to be quite honest with you, the club needs to go to the market and sign players because they’ll be competing in the CAF Confederation Cup next season,” Khune said at the Black Label viewing experience for the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in Midrand most recently.
“So they need to beef up the squad, but as we all know, it’s not easy for Kaizer Chiefs to sign the best players they need. Unfortunately, for any player Chiefs want, the price will be doubled, and it’s not fair.
“I think in South African football we need financial fair play because some teams are able to sign players, but other teams are unable to do that. I think we need to revisit that clause and activate it in all 16 teams for fairness.”
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