Five-time The South African Premier Soccer League champions, Kaizer Chiefs, are considering backing off from signing Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali due to his costly R30m (about £1.3m) price tag, as per reports in South Africa.
Nwabali has been sought after since his outstanding performance at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, where he kept four clean sheets and narrowly missed out on the Golden Glove to South African goalkeeper, Ronwen Williams, as Nigeria lost the final to Ivory Coast.
Despite interest from European and Saudi Arabian clubs, local rivals Chiefs are also said to be interested in the Chippa United keeper but are put off by his price tag.
Goal.com writer, Celine Abrahams, pointed out that Kaizer Chiefs, who were initially interested in Nwabali, may have decided against a deal due to his high R30 million price tag. However, if they are serious about improving their team, they should consider investing in players like Nwabali, especially with uncertainty about Itumeleng Khune’s future.
Celine Abrahams also suggested that adding a player or two to the negotiation could be a smart move for Chiefs if the price tag is too high.
Chiefs’ task may be complicated as they have eight players whose contracts will expire at the end of the season.
Nwabali is committed to Chippa United until 2026, and the club owner, Siviwe Mpengesi, has openly discussed ongoing talks, especially with international clubs, about their goalkeeper.
Mpengesi has also confirmed the club’s readiness to consider offers from Premier Soccer League teams and stated that they wouldn’t stand in the way of Nwabali's departure if the offers were attractive enough.
The 27-year-old is also associated with Queens Park Rangers in England, Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, and Royal Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.
This season, the goalkeeper has achieved 10 clean sheets in 22 PSL appearances.
