Kaizer Chiefs youngsters join Hope FC on season-long loans

Kaizer Chiefs youngsters Naledi Hlongwane and Pheko Phago have arrived in Cape Town and are due to begin training with Hope FC on Monday after completing their move to the Motsepe Foundation Championship club.

The pair have joined Hope FC on loan for the season, with the agreement confirmed by Kaizer Chiefs. They will link up with fellow Amakhosi players Samkelo Zwane and Bontle Molefe, who joined the newly promoted side before the start of the campaign.

Hope FC earned promotion from the ABC Motsepe League and have been active in strengthening their squad ahead of their first season in the Motsepe Foundation Championship. Hlongwane and Phago are among the latest additions made by the Cape Town club, which is coached by Clayton Daniels.

The club will hope the two Kaizer Chiefs players can contribute to a promotion challenge, while the Johannesburg-based side see the loan spell as an opportunity for them to gain experience in a competitive professional environment.

Kaizer Chiefs are also expected to monitor their progress closely, with the intention that both players can return to Naturena better prepared to compete for a place in the first team.

Hlongwane, in particular, is regarded by Amakhosi as a player who could provide goals in the future. He has already shown his ability in front of goal during his appearances in the DStv Diski Challenge, but his move to Hope FC will present a new test.

The forward will now have to cope with the physical and tactical demands of facing defenders at professional level. That experience is expected to help his development as he works towards establishing himself at Kaizer Chiefs.

Hope FC began their campaign with a 1-0 win over University of Pretoria at Athlone Stadium on 22 August. Their positive start was followed by a first defeat of the season away to Highbury FC over the weekend.

Their next assignment will be another meeting between promoted teams, when Hope FC travel to Potchefstroom to face North West University on Saturday.

The arrival of Hlongwane and Phago gives Daniels further options as Hope FC seek to adapt to the higher standard of the Motsepe Foundation Championship. For Kaizer Chiefs, the season-long loans offer the young players regular senior football while allowing the club to assess their progress before they return to Naturena.

Both players will officially begin work with their new team on Monday as Hope FC continue their first campaign after promotion from the ABC Motsepe League.