Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp says there is ‘no way’ he will give the go-ahead for Khama Billiat to leave the club while adding that Leonardo Castro looks set to stay at Naturena.

Reports emerging from north Africa suggest that both Billiat and Castro were the targets of some of the continent’s biggest clubs for big fees.

Earlier in the window it was thought that Chiefs were open to offers from Castro, but they were never interested in letting prize asset Billiat leave the club just a year after signing a three-year contract.

Middendorp revealed to the media on Tuesday that it looked unlikely that either of the former Mamelodi Sundowns duo will leave the club.

‘I was never confronted with any offer or whatever. And there’s no way to give the go-ahead from the technical team in the moment to release players like Khama Billiat or other players,’ declared Middendorp.

‘We are in front of a season, we have put a lot of thinking and strategies in place and at this time there is no way to move into a direction of saying, “Khama Billiat can go because the money is coming in.” No, that’s very clear!’

‘Even it’s not a secret that [there is interest in] Leonardo Castro, but he has really had a good pre-season so far and nothing is going on.

‘From the outside there is a lot of talk, which was explained to the public, but I’m very happy with Castro at the moment with how he has contribute[d], so there is no issue and we do not want to go to the market and sell our player at this moment.’