Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye has expressed his doubts over the club’s recent signing of Ethan Chislett from England’s League Two, especially with Sipho Mbule available as a free agent.
Chislett, a Durban-born midfielder, recently signed with Amakhosi after spending his career in the lower leagues of English football, turning out for clubs like AFC Wimbledon and Port Vale. The 26-year-old brings with him 242 appearances and 56 goal contributions — but zero experience in the Premier Soccer League.
“Is This the Right Direction?”
Speaking candidly, Khanye admitted he’s unsure whether Chislett fits the profile Chiefs need to compete at the highest level of South African football.
“I hear the guy was playing in England’s lower divisions — second or third tier — which in our terms is close to the Vodacom League level,” Khanye said. “But to be fair, I haven’t seen him play, so it’s hard to judge without watching him on the pitch.”
Khanye emphasized that player agents — like Mike Makaab, who represents Chislett — are simply doing their jobs by marketing their clients.
“You can’t blame the agent. They’re supposed to push for their players to get signed. If a club believes in what they’re being sold, that’s on them,” he explained.
Mbule Was the Better Fit
What really puzzled Khanye, however, was why Kaizer Chiefs didn’t go after Sipho Mbule — who was available on a free after his Sundowns exit and eventually signed with Orlando Pirates.
“If Chiefs were serious about challenging in the Betway Premiership, they would’ve gone for Mbule,” Khanye insisted. “He’s the kind of player who could have transformed the team. Pirates made the right call.”
While Khanye admits it’s still too early to completely write off Chislett’s potential impact at Naturena, he remains firm in his belief that Chiefs missed a golden opportunity with Mbule.
