Kaizer Chiefs passed on Fiston Mayele before his move to Egypt.
Before the Congolese striker joined giants Pyramids FC, where he’s been on fire in front of goal, he was offered to the Soweto club. At the time, Mayele had just wrapped up a blistering two-season spell under coach Nasreddine Nabi at Young Africans, where he netted an astonishing 54 goals.
Despite his proven scoring ability, Chiefs rejected the offer.
“It is no secret that Mayele was offered to Chiefs, and they turned down the opportunity to sign him,” revealed Christian Bukasa, a close associate of the 30-year-old forward, as quoted by Kick Off.
Chiefs doubted his value – But Mayele’s numbers talk
According to Bukasa, Mayele was eager to don the black and gold jersey.
“The player was keen to join Chiefs, but the club decided otherwise because they felt he wasn’t worth what he was asking,” Bukasa explained.
“We spoke to Bobby (Motaung), but they turned down the opportunity. What I can tell you is that Chiefs would have paid a transfer fee of not more than R10 million.”
Chiefs made their decision before Nasreddine Nabi joined the club — a coach who already knew Mayele’s value from their time in Tanzania. That decision now looks questionable.
Mayele proves Chiefs wrong with red-hot form
Since moving to Pyramids FC, Mayele has been relentless in front of goal. He scored 21 goals in his debut season and has already notched up 13 this term. That’s six straight seasons of hitting double figures — a level of consistency any club dreams of in a striker.
Mayele recently reminded South Africans of what they missed. He returned to face Orlando Pirates in the CAF Champions League semi-final first leg and gave their defense a headache, even though the match ended goalless.
“I believe Mayele would have made a world of a difference at Chiefs because he is a goal-scoring striker as he has proven through the years,” said Bukasa.
From rejection to riches – Mayele’s price Has skyrocketed
Today, Mayele earns almost double what he initially asked from Chiefs — and there’s no turning back.
“In South Africa, they have their own way of seeing players. Unfortunately, since we last spoke to Chiefs, there has been no further discussions around Mayele,” Bukasa shared.
“He is now with Pyramids, where he is on almost double the money that he had asked from Chiefs.”
“The Chiefs door is closed now, and the next logical move will be Saudi Arabia.”
Chiefs let a lethal finisher slip away
Fiston Mayele’s story is a striking reminder of how hesitation in football can cost a club dearly. While Kaizer Chiefs still struggle to find a reliable goalscorer, Mayele continues to rack up numbers that speak for themselves — and his next chapter could be an even bigger payday in Saudi Arabia.
Stay tuned with The South African as Kaizer Chiefs passed on Fiston Mayele before his latest move.
Will Chiefs still find a way to sign Mayele?
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