Kaizer Chiefs are set to lose their captain, Yusuf Maart, to Austrian top-flight outfit SV Ried.
The 29-year-old midfielder is not included in the Amakhosi squad currently in the Netherlands for pre-season preparations. He was expected to sign a contract extension following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season; however, there have been no official updates from the team regarding this matter.
Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Doctor Khumalo said Amakhosi would be a different team without Maart this season.
“Firstly, let me congratulate Yusuf because that’s a very lucrative one. As a player, you need to have ambitions to play outside the country,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be a different Kaizer Chiefs because Maart played 90 percent of the games for Kaizer Chiefs. Who is going to forget the crucial goal that he scored in the Nedbank Cup final? Everything has centred around him as he was wearing an armband, but then again, there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
“Let him go, but Chiefs will look so different baba, wait for it,” Khumalo said.
Yusuf Maart to leave Kaizer Chiefs after three years
With Amakhosi losing their leader, it seems likely that Inacio Miguel will take over the captain’s armband, with Brandon Petersen and Thabo Cele as vice-captains.
Miguel did lead Kaizer Chiefs several times last season, but Nasreddine Nabi decided to hand the captaincy to Maart permanently midseason. Besides their captain, Amakhosi have parted ways with experienced players in the past few weeks.
Who should take over from Maart?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
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