Cape Town City have revealed that AmaZulu FC have failed to meet the deadline set by the Western Cape club to buy Zukile Kewuti.
The 25-year-old utility player joined AmaZulu on a short-term loan deal from City in February 2021 and he quickly established himself as a regular at the KwaZulu-Natal giants.
Kewuti has made 13 appearances across all competitions for Usuthu thus far having reunited with his former coach at City, Benni McCarthy.
City club chairman John Comitis has now disclosed that AmaZulu have not exercised the option to buy him before the deadline and that McCarthy might have been unaware of how the deal was reached by the two clubs.
“I don’t think Benni knew the facts of the deal. There is a pre-set transfer amount in the loan agreement they could have exercised at the end of April, but they did not take the option,” Comitis told Daily Sun.
“So, it was in their hands. It was an extremely reasonable amount of money so it was reportedly incorrect.
"They had an option that they could keep him and they let that expire without any response. But now we are happy to have him back.”
McCarthy joined AmaZulu in December 2020 and Kewuti was his maiden signing at the Durban-based side.
Meanwhile, AmaZulu club president Sandile Zungu has been impressed by Kewuti's versatility as the Cape Town-born player operated as a left-back against Mamelodi Sundowns two months ago.
“You saw how well he [Kewuti] did against Sundowns in the left back position,” Zungu told the same publication.
Kewuti replaced suspended regular left-back Sibusiso Mabiliso and he helped the Citizens keep a clean sheet against Sundowns in a PSL game, which ended in a 0-0 draw at Jonsson Kings Park Stadium.
Zungu also indicated that McCarthy will make the final decision regarding Kewuti's future with the club.
“We are influenced by our coach, but when it comes to technical matters such as player selection, signing or release [players], we don’t get involved," he concluded.
Kewuti was part of the City side that clinched the 2018 MTN8 under McCarthy after they defeated SuperSport United in the final.
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