Mthethwa signs Kaizer Chiefs extension as Soweto club trigger one-year option

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa will stay at the Soweto club for at least one more season after the Premier Soccer League side activated the one-year option in his contract.

The 29-year-old’s initial deal with Amakhosi expired at the end of June, but Chiefs have moved to retain a player regarded as an important part of their plans for the new campaign.

Mthethwa, who joined Chiefs from Stellenbosch FC, has accepted the extension following talks with the club’s hierarchy this week.

A source close to the negotiations at Naturena told BBC Sport Africa that both parties were keen to continue the relationship.

“It’s a mutual feeling. ‘Ox’ has unfinished business at Chiefs. He is also in the big plans of the coach,” said the source.

The decision ends any immediate uncertainty around the midfielder’s future and signals Chiefs’ intent to maintain continuity in the squad ahead of the new season.

Option exercised after contract expiry

Mthethwa’s original contract, signed when he arrived from Stellenbosch FC, came to an end on 30 June, leaving only a club-held option for an additional year.

Chiefs have now formally exercised that option, ensuring the player remains on their books for the upcoming campaign rather than entering free agency.

The move follows internal discussions at Naturena this week, in which the technical team and senior management assessed the composition of the squad before the start of competitive action.

Confirmation of Mthethwa’s stay comes in the same window in which the club has been addressing the futures of several squad members, including defender Njabulo Ngcobo and midfielder Samkelo Zwane, as they reshape the group under the current coaching setup.

Chiefs prepare for Toyota Cup and league push

The men in Gold and Black are now finalising preparations for their next assignment, a Toyota Cup fixture against Zimbabwean side Scottland FC on Sunday in the North West province.

The match forms part of Chiefs’ pre-season schedule as they look to build fitness and cohesion before the league campaign begins.

It follows a recent training camp in Spain, after which assistant coach Fernando Da Cruz issued his assessment of the squad’s progress and highlighted areas for improvement ahead of competitive fixtures.

Long wait for league title

Chiefs will open their pursuit of a first league crown since the 2014/15 season with an away match against Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on 1 August.

The club, one of South Africa’s most successful and widely supported sides, has endured a prolonged trophy drought in the DStv Premiership era and faces growing pressure from its fanbase to return to the summit of the domestic game.

Retaining Mthethwa, who is viewed internally as a key presence in midfield, forms part of an attempt to stabilise the core of the team as Chiefs seek to end that run and re-establish themselves as title contenders.