Andile Jali to Kaizer Chiefs getting closer? What about Pirates?

Some supporters believe that a Chiefs move for Jali would be the wrong move for the club, and a perpetuation of a transfer policy that has brought them faded glory but precious little success.

“Jali should never be considered at Chiefs,” wrote @sello_chopps. “We have learned our lesson with signing players who have done well for their careers but we sign them when they’re in the last years of the game.”

Considering the Chiefs performances of Billiat, Mphela, Dolly, Castro, Mphahlele and others, does he have a point?

While Sundowns defeated Chiefs in the PSL’s weekend blockbuster, some supporters reckon that the Amakhosi let the league leaders off the hook with their midfield play.

For some—including @Madumetja_M08—the absence of Jali in the heart of the park made Downs sloppier, and they absolutely shouldn’t be letting him leave.

“I counted three instances where Chiefs should’ve punished us if they were clinical,” they wrote. “We’ve been winning games like I said, but Jali is our master of building up from the back.”

Josias Thulo echoes the previous point.

“I see that [Sundowns] need Jali,” he wrote. “There was no stability in the middle [against Chiefs].”

@TaPhuras is confident that Jali won’t be leaving the Brazilians during the ongoing transfer window, not because of his on-field ability, but because of his coaching skills.

“Jali is not going anywhere,” he wrote. “This is our captain and our 4^th assistant coach.”

User @MuziBucs reckons that Chiefs might not be Jali’s final destination, and that, instead, a switch to another Soweto giant could be in the midfielder’s future…

Are you ready to welcome Andile Jali back at Pirates?

Ohhh Mhlekazi 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/618zfZDAMG

— Ghosttalk (@MuziBucs) January 18, 2023

While the South African media are almost exclusively talking about Chiefs as the player’s next destination, some fans believe that Jali could move alsewhere.

“If Sundowns and Jali fail to agree on a new deal,” predicted Tshepo Msimango, “I can safely say his next move will be in KZN in the DSTV Premiership.”

Does he mean AmaZulu? Golden Arrows? Maritzburg United? The suspense is killing us…