Having missed out on the pre-season camp in the Netherlands after his signing was completed with the squad already in Europe, Siphesihle Ndlovu will finally join all his new teammates this week.
Ndlovu was brought in at the beginning of the month amid all the activity at the club, which included Yusuf Maart leaving for Austrian outfit SV Ried.
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The 28-year-old subsequently didn’t travel to the Netherlands, staying behind with the players who had to work with Majdi Safi back at Naturena.
Nasreddine Nabi will grin in welcoming Ndlovu having made a plea to have a new midfielder at the end of last season.
With Maart, Edson Castillo, Mduduzi Mdantsane, Njabulo Blom, and Sabelo Radebe accounting for the midfielders no longer at the club, it is interesting that Ndlovu can do what all of them could do.
He will give Chiefs an all-round package, which none of their midfielders have, be it putting in a shift when the team is without the ball or when they advance into the last third.
While he might not be of a bigger frame, he is able to apply himself in midfield defensive duties.
The only concern could be his anticipation abilities as shown by the frequency with which he gets yellow-carded.
He ticks the boxes in being able to move the ball quicker in finding spaces to penetrate and hurt the opposition.
His energy is second to none, just like his commitment on the field, so the Soweto giants will get plenty of options in having him, especially with CAF Confederation Cup football coming up.
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Ndlovu has played in the continent’s second-tier competition for three seasons.
Nabi will be glad that he also has Thulani ‘Touch’ Mabaso raising his hand in central midfield with the development graduate having shown glimpses of his quality in the Netherlands.
Photo: Kaizer Chiefs
