DONE DEAL! Kaizer Chiefs make first January signing as former FC Cincinnati player joins Soweto giants

Kaizer Chiefs have signed midfielder Xhosa Manyana on loan from Cape Town City for the rest of the season.

He becomes Amakhosi's first signing of the January transfer window and his arrival comes as a surprise. 

The unheralded player joins Chiefs at a time when they are pushing to catch uo with Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates in the Premier Soccer League title race. 

City have announced Manyana's loan move to Amakhosi just as the Soweto giants were taking on Golden Arrows in a Premier Soccer League match. 

"Best of luck to Xhosa Manyana, who will spend the remainder of the 2025/26 season on loan at Kaizer Chiefs. All the best, Xhosa," announced City.

For a player who failed to break into the first team of FC Cincinnati after signing for their reserve side, Manyana's move to Chiefs might be seen in some quarters as another transfer blunder by the Soweto giants.

Further inviting stern scrutiny on him is that the 20-year-old returned from the USA and struggled for game time at City in their National First Division campaign.

However, the transfer to Chiefs might provide Manyana with an opportunity to silence his critics who are doubting him as a player fit to play for Amakhosi. 

At Chiefs, Manyana will face the likes of Thabo Cele, Sibongiseni Mthethwa and Siphesihle Ndlovu in central midfield.

Giving him an advantage is that he can play as a defensive midfielder or in front of the anchorman. 

Manyana could make his Chiefs debut in the upcoming weeks as they bid for the Premier Soccer League title.