Having suffered a string of injuries in the 2018/19 Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign, Kaizer Chiefs defender Erick Mathoho is set to remain at Naturena.
Despite media reports suggesting that the lanky central defender is facing an uncertain future at Amakhosi, his representative Basia Michaels of Quality Talent Sports confirmed the towering defender's stay.
“Tower is still contracted to Chiefs and will not be leaving. From what I know at this moment, nothing has been communicated with me from Chiefs side,” Michaels told Goal.
With many PSL clubs having already returned from off-season ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, the former Bloemfontein Celtic defender will hope to remain injury free and return to the field for the Soweto giants.
The Limpopo-born defender could not become a regular feature for Chiefs last season after suffering a long term injury where he spent more than five months on the sidelines.
On the other hand, former coach Giovanni Solinas and current coach Ernst Middendorp preferred to use Daniel Cardoso, Teenage Hadebe, Lorenzo Gordinho as well as Mario Booysen in the heart of the defence.
Speculation was rife that the arrival of Booysen at Chiefs meant Amakhosi could be forced to release ‘Tower’ during the January transfer window, but he is likely to stay as he is contracted until June 2020.
Looking at his statistics, the former Bafana Bafana international could only make five appearances in all competitions last season.
Moreover, Mathoho’s injury setbacks also forced coach Stuart Baxter to leave him out of his squad heading to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt.
If Gordinho does leave Naturena, that could open up a spot in the team for Mathoho to impress the German manager heading into the eagerly anticipated new campaign.