The Soweto giants are busy on the market after welcoming seven arrivals at Naturena earlier this month
Kaizer Chiefs emerged from a Fifa transfer ban to announce the signings of six new players on July 9 before adding another one on Tuesday.
After being unable to sign players for two transfer windows due to sanctions, Chiefs will now have new faces for next season.
The new acquisitions coincided with the return of coach Stuart Baxter.
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Most of the signed players were, however, already touted as targets of former coach Gavin Hunt as early as January this year before Baxter landed their signatures.
Chiefs are not done in the transfer market as a number of other players have been linked with the club.
CBD combination recreated
The coming in of Keagan Dolly evokes memories of Mamelodi Sundowns’ successful period which included winning the 2016 Caf Champions League.
Dolly is back to try and form a formidable partnership with Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro as they did in 2016.
More competition for Cardoso and Mathoho
On Tuesday, Chiefs made Austin Dube their seventh signing of this pre-season with the centre-back arriving from Richards Bay on a three year deal with the option of a further two years.
Joining Chiefs presents the left-footed central defender with an opportunity to play Premier Soccer League football for the first time ever.
His professional career has so far been marked by stints at National First Division sides Witbank Spurs, TS Galaxy and Richards Bay where he spent just a season before Chiefs came calling.
The 28-year-old arrives at Naturena to find another new centre-back signing Njabulo Ngcobo as well as already established defenders at the club in Erick Mathoho and Daniel Cardoso.
It would be interesting to see if Dube will manage to relegate Mathoho and Cardoso to the bench.
He already has an understanding with Ngcobo whom he played alongside in the triumphant Bafana Bafana team at the Cosafa Cup.
Will the PSL’s best defender make Chiefs steely at the back?
Ngcobo arrived at Chiefs from Swallows FC after carving himself a reputation of being the best defender in the Premier Soccer League.
At the end of his debut PSL season at Swallows, he was crowned the league’s Defender of the Season and also earned himself a maiden Bafana Bafana call-up.
The 27-year-old arrives at Naturena to find Erick Mathoho and Daniel Cardoso as the established centre-backs there.
Most of the attention will be to see if he will stabilise Amakhosi at the back.
If Baxter is to choose to play two centre-backs, there is a curiosity to see who will be sacrificed.
Duplicate signings at the back
The signing of Sifiso Hlanti appears as the solution to Chiefs’ problematic left-back position.
He finds four other players who play in that position plus a new acquisition in Sibusiso Mabiliso who can play the same role as him.
Reeve Frosler, is a right-back, who was converted to play on the left side of defence while Philani Zulu also had some matches deployed in that position.
Yagan Sasman and Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya who are natural left-backs struggled for regular playing minutes.
Questions have been asked if it was necessary for Chiefs to sign another left-back, Mabiliso from AmaZulu when Hlanti was already considered.
With Hlanti 31, maybe 22-year-old Mabiliso was signed as one for the future.
Hlanti brings experience and was once a Bafana Bafana regular and featured in all their matches at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
That he played a limited number of games at Swallows last season did not discourage those who signed him.
A threat to Katsande and Akumu’s Chiefs future
Phathutshedzo Nange is back in Gauteng and is a player who had former coach Hunt as his biggest admirer.
Just like Hlanti, Nange was earmarked to be signed by Hunt at the beginning of last season.
This will be his fourth season playing PSL football following stints at Black Leopards, Bidvest Wits and Stellenbosch where he is coming from.
The 29-year-old thrives more as a defensive midfielder but can also play as an attacking linkman.
His arrival could be a threat to Willard Katsande, Njabulo Blom, Antony Akumu or even Bernard Parker.
Who will be sacrificed between the sticks?
Brandon Peterson finds Itumeleng Khune, Daniel Akpeyi and Bruce Bvuma already embroiled in the battle to be first-choice goalkeepers.
There is also Brylon Petersen as a reserve keeper.
So the big question is who will Chiefs ship out among the goalkeepers?
Maybe they can opt to be like Mamelodi Sundowns who have five established goalkeepers in their squad.
After spending the whole of last season unattached following the demise of Bidvest Wits, Peterson might not march straight into the Chiefs playing squad.
Convincing Kaizer Chiefs
While playing for Swallows last season, Kgaogelo Sekgota was planning to return to Europe but Chiefs managed to convince him that his future was best served at Naturena.
This is a winger who, at 24, has already played in Lithuania and Portugal.
Having previously tasted Primeira Liga football with Vitoria Setubal, Sekgota brings experience.
He can form a formidable combination with Khama Billiat if the Zimbabwean stays at the club.
Sekgota already has an understanding with Given Thibedi who is returning from a loan stint at Swallows.
Up for grabs
Mike Makaab, the agent of Sipho Mbule, recently confirmed that Chiefs are interested in the SuperSport United midfielder.
Matsatsantsa coach Kaitano Tembo also resigned to the possibility of losing one of his star midfielders.
If Chiefs land his signature, that adds more depth in the middle of the park.
Amakhosi have also been linked with moves for free agent Keagan Dolly and Bongani Zungu in what would be sensational moves.
The name Buhle Mkhwanazi has been tossed around as a possible Chiefs signing.
Following the acquisition of Ngcobo, it is yet to be seen if Baxter will add another centre-back in Mkhwanazi.
