Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has made his stance clear regarding midfielder Thabo Cele, bluntly confirming that the player does not fit into his plans for the new campaign.
Cele joined the Glamour Boys at the beginning of 2025 from Russian outfit Fakel Voronezh. He hit the ground running immediately, becoming a central figure in Nasreddine Nabi’s Nedbank Cup-winning side during his first six months at the club.
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Over the course of the 2025/26 campaign, Cele made 21 appearances for the Glamour Boys and established himself as an important presence in the squad despite his injury concerns.
However, following the arrival of new French coach Fernando Da Cruz, Cele now faces a bleak future at Naturena.
No space for Cele at Kaizer Chiefs
According to Da Cruz, there’s no room for Cele in his squad as he prefers his other options in midfield at the moment. These options include Lebohang Maboe, Siphesihle Ndlovu, Sibongiseni Mthethwa and newly signed Tanzanian international Adolf Mtasingwa Bitegeko.
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“For Thabo Cele, I’ve got lot of players in Thabo Cele’s position, I prefer a different type of players in his position and he’s not in my plans for this season. So, the preference is on all the other profiles. For the moment he is not in the plans,” the Amakhosi coach told members of the media.
Da Cruz will also likely look to the market to further bolster his midfield, making any change in fortune for Cele even more unlikely.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
