Former Kaizer Chiefs hardman Willard Katsande believes Thabo Cele’s transfer to Mamelodi Sundowns mirrors Enzo Fernández’s high-profile move to Manchester City, arguing that joining a club of Sundowns’ ambition will prevent the midfielder’s talent from going to waste.
In an interview with FARPost, Katsande said he was an admirer of Cele’s game and felt he was a perfect fit for Kaizer Chiefs’ puzzle, but football has no room for sentiment.
Mamelodi Sundowns confirmed the signing of Cele on a free transfer, three days after parting ways with Kaizer Chiefs by mutual consent.
Cele became surplus to requirements at Naturena under new coach Fernando Da Cruz despite featuring prominently for Amakhosi last season. At Chloorkop, he will now compete for a starting place with the likes of Teboho Mokoena, Marcelo Allende, Bathusi Aubaas, and rising star Gomolemo Kekana.
As such, Katsande drew parallels with the biggest move of the European window. Manchester City completed the signing of Fernández from Chelsea on a five-year contract until the summer of 2031. The Argentina international’s deal happened on deadline day for British-record fee of R 2.3 billion [£125 million]. This transfer caught many fans off guard.
Incredibly, Chelsea agreed to the sale despite failing to secure a last-minute replacement, with Fernández adding big-game know-how to Manchester City’s midfield.
KATSANDE LIKENS THABO CELE MOVE TO ENZO’S MAN CITY SWITCH
For Katsande, the Cele situation mirrors that shock. “Personally, I thought he was brilliant for us. I liked his game a lot, to be honest. He is a top-quality midfielder, there is no doubt about that,” Katsande told FARPost.
“But football is like that. At the end of the season, the club has to sit down, review, and decide which direction they want to go. Once that decision is made, these things can happen.
“We have seen it at the highest level, look at Enzo Fernandez leaving Chelsea. If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere. The most important thing is to keep the team competitive. There is no bad blood here, sometimes things just go the other way. That is the nature of football. At least he got a competitive team.”
Katsande believes that, just like Enzo who said he had always dreamed of playing for “a club as big as Manchester City”, Cele landing at Sundowns ensures a top midfielder remains in a competitive environment rather than being lost.
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