Kaizer Chiefs signed 10 new players to strengthen coach Arthur Zwane’s squad during the 2022/23 season, the most notable being two foreign strikers and Mazola Molefe rates Amakhosi’s new faces for the past season.
DILLAN SOLOMONS: 6/10
Very useful and gave Chiefs options in both defence and attack. But his inexperience playing in the top flight, after just one season at Swallows FC before moving to AmaKhosi, was exposed. He will get better as he finds his feet, though there will be very little room for error in the 2023/24 campaign.
ZITHA KWINIKA: 6/10
A former Naturena youth-development product, the defender returned to his roots following a stellar season as captain of Stellenbosch FC, where he was crowned the club’s Footballer of the Year. One of the first names on the team sheet for coach Arthur Zwane, but Chiefs’ back four was not always the most convincing.
EDMILSON DOVE: 7/10
Signed a month into the campaign, and it was immediately obvious why the Glamour Boys brought him on board. The ex-Cape Town City utility defender picked up a few Man of the Match performances and was singled out as a key figure by his coach.
YUSUF MAART: 6/10
Got a second bite at playing for another Soweto giant following a forgettable stint at Orlando Pirates more than three years ago. Proved to be a reflection of Chiefs’ overall output this season by blowing hot and cold, although his wonder goal against his old club is what many will remember.
GEORGE MATLOU: 4/10
A bizarre transfer to begin with, Matlou previously worked with Dillon Sheppard at Bidvest Wits, but even that did not seem to help him adjust to life at Chiefs. To be fair, the midfielder was not given enough opportunities and his future at the club now hangs in the balance.
KAMOHELO MAHLATSI: 3/10
A squad player at best, Mahlatsi was instantly on the fringes at Chiefs after being overtaken by academy players in Samkelo Zwane and Mduduzi Shabalala. The handful of appearances he made this season were not noticeable, which will be a concern should AmaKhosi add more numbers when the transfer window re-opens.
BONFILS-CALEB BIMENYIMANA: 7/10
Scored seven goals in as many matches shortly after his arrival to add firepower, but was quickly criticised for being one-dimensional. Faded as the season went on. The Burundian striker also struggled with a lot of injuries because Chiefs were heavily reliant on him until they signed another forward.
SIYETHEMBA SITHEBE: 7/10
Had not played for more than six months when he joined Chiefs, with AmaZulu deciding to banish him from the first team after signing a pre-contract with their Soweto rivals. He showed composure, though, and was a leader in that midfield department with Phathutshedzo Nange and Cole Alexander out of the picture. Also fought his way back into the side when he was dropped and replaced by the young Zwane midway through the season.
CHRISTIAN SAILE: 7/10
Looks the real deal. Spent several weeks on trial before putting pen to paper, and for a striker who joined Chiefs at the halfway mark, he hit the ground running quickly. Will score a lot of goals in the new campaign for sure.
ASHLEY DU PREEZ: 6/10
Chiefs’ marquee signing, but missed more chances than he scored from. Du Preez struggled to put his raw speed to good effect at times and battled injuries too, which affected any kind of consistency. The moment the club signed Bimenyimana and Saile, allowing him to shift wide, Du Preez had less pressure on him and seemed more comfortable.
