Itumeleng Khune's pending status as a Kaizer Chiefs player remains a bubble waiting to burst as he enters the last two months of his contract.
Khune has known no other home besides Chiefs throughout his career having arrived at the club as a teenager, yet he now finds himself left on the fence.
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Amakhosi declared that this will be Khune's last playing contract before the veteran keeper indicated that he hasn't made the commitment to call it quits at the end of his latest deal.
Whatever happens next around Khune will be headline news.
Khune – who turns 37 in June – has not been in the matchday squad since returning from suspension in March and last played almost six months ago.
"What is happening with Khune at Chiefs is just politics at play," states retired Cameroonian goalkeeper Patrick Tignyemb, who holds the record for the most appearances at Bloemfontein Celtic.
Tignyemb spent over a decade at Celtic before an ugly money-related departure, which was ultimately resolved by FIFA.
"Age is just a number, especially for a goalkeeper, so I don't buy into the excuse that Khune is now old.
"If Khune had been European, there wouldn't have been such going on and he would be afforded the respect that deserves and has earned.
"How many goalkeepers have played past Khune's age?
"Even in South Africa, there have been many keepers older than him who have played, like Andre Arendse, and even now Denis Onyango, Arubi (Washington), Hugo Nyame, Badra (Ali Sangare) and Akpeyi (Daniel) are all older and playing, yet there is noise about them.
"Khune gave all his career to Chiefs and now he is like a nobody at that club.
"I think Khune is just a victim of the usual politics at play in South African football.
"There is too much politics in South African football, and I can tell you right now that most people in management at clubs are not honest.
"Has Khune suddenly become so bad that all that is seen about him is that he is old?
"If you look around the world, all top keepers like Oliver Kahn, Gianluigi Buffon, Essam El-Hadary and Edwin van der Sar.
"It is not surprising to have clubs in Europe that have keepers who are over 40.
"In South Africa and most of the continent, we have a tendency of pushing out people instead of honouring them.
"The decision to say 'I'm done' should come from Khune and nobody else.
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"We are a continent that likes to have people that we can control, so that is why this is happening to Khune, who is a legend of the game in South Africa.
"I went through the same thing [at Celtic] so I can relate, and it hurts me that this is happening to a local guy like Khune," says Tignyemb.