Report: African giants add Kaizer Chiefs forward Khanyisa Mayo to their transfer wishlist

Kaizer Chiefs brought Khanyisa Mayo into Naturena in September after he was placed on the transfer list by CR Belouizdad head coach Sean Ramovic. The former Premier Soccer League Golden Boot winner had made the move to Algeria from Cape Town City with the expectation that he would add bite and reliability to their attack. 

However, his 2024/25 campaign, a demanding season in which he featured in 41 matches across all competitions but returned only six goals and a single assist, fell short of what the club had envisioned when they invested in him.

When Chiefs, long‑time admirers of his talent, stepped in to secure him on loan, the hope was that a familiar environment and a system tailored to his strengths would spark an immediate resurgence. That instant lift has yet to materialise at the club.

Even so, his profile continues to draw attention beyond South Africa’s borders. There are already murmurs of interest from Tanzania, where he is reportedly being monitored as a potential option, a reminder that, despite recent struggles, his reputation and potential still carry weight across the continent.

"Depu, Dala and Mayo. These three are targeted by Young Africans. Depu is from Angola. Depu was a top scorer in COSAFA 2024 as well. Now is playing at Radomiak Poland,” the source revealed to Soccer Laduma’s Siya Crew.

"Gerson Dala is playing at Al Wakrah in Qatar. So these two are most targeted by Yanga and if missed, then an option is Khanyisa Mayo.

"Even before he left Cape Town City to CR Belouizdad, Yanga was one of the Tanzanian clubs that were also interested in his services,” the source concluded.

Mayo’s loan deal with the Glamour Boys stretches all the way to the end of June 2026, offering a long runway for both parties to evaluate his contribution and potential future at Naturena. 

His current campaign has unfolded in measured steps rather than dramatic leaps, with the 2025/26 season giving him a series of scattered but meaningful opportunities to re-establish himself. 

He has taken the field five times in the Premier Soccer League, adding another appearance in the Carling Knockout Cup and featuring again on the continental stage during the CAF Confederation Cup second‑round first‑leg encounter against AS Simba.

Across these outings, his return has been modest, with his only goal of the season arriving on 24 September against Marumo Gallants. That moment briefly hinted at the sharpness and instinct that once made him one of the most talked‑about attackers in the country, but consistency has remained elusive.

While Mayo continues his push to rediscover the version of himself that once struck fear into defenders across South Africa, Chiefs find themselves equally in need of a player operating at full power. 

The first half of the campaign has repeatedly highlighted their struggle to convert promising passages of play into goals, with chance after chance slipping away in matches that ultimately ended in draws, moments that could have shifted their season’s trajectory had they been more clinical.

Despite opening the campaign with encouraging form, Chiefs now sit fourth on the PSL table, gradually losing ground as Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns and Sekhukhune United accelerate into a higher gear. 

The gap has not yet become insurmountable, but the momentum has clearly tilted toward their rivals, placing added pressure on the club to find solutions in the attacking third.

The Africa Cup of Nations break offers a timely pause; a chance for the technical team to reassess, recalibrate and rebuild the cohesion needed for a stronger second half of the season.

For Mayo, it presents an opportunity to reset and sharpen; for Chiefs, a moment to realign their ambitions before the league race intensifies once again.