Kaizer Chiefs have added some much-needed ammunition to their attacking stocks with the signing of Bafana Bafana midfielder Lebogang Manyama, the club confirmed on Wednesday. Manyama was a free agent after terminating his contract with Turkish side Konyaspor after a horror 12 months at the club where he made just a single league start and did not play at all after December.
The 27-year-old had moved to Europe after an outstanding 2016/17 season with Cape Town City in the Absa Premiership, where he was crowned the country's Player of the Season.
Chiefs sign Manyama https://t.co/s8rXYp1abI #HeIsHere #HailTheChief #Amakhosi4Life
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) August 22, 2018
"It's a dream come true. I have supported Chiefs from a young age. I grew up on the same street as [former goalkeeper] Brian Baloyi in Alexandra and that's how I fell in love with the club," Manyama told the club's website.
"I now want to help the club win trophies and to achieve glory, because that's what the Kaizer Chiefs brand represents to me."
Chiefs have made a poor start to the new league season, with three draws and a defeat from their four games to date. They did make it into the semifinals of the MTN8 and will face one of Manyama's former clubs SuperSport United in the first leg on Sunday, when he could potentially make his debut.
Manyama, who has been issued with the number 21 jersey, will hope to get his career back on track at a Chiefs side that is battling for goals and creativity in the midfield position.
He made his PSL debut for Ajax Cape Town in the 2010/11 campaign and spent three-and-a-half seasons at Ikamva before moving to SuperSport in January 2014.
He battled in his 18 months with Matsatsantsa though and made the switch on loan to Mpumalanga Black Aces for the 2015/16 season. Manyama made the switch to Cape Town City when the status of the Black Aces club was sold and after being installed as captain of the side, saw his career revived in the Mother City with an excellent campaign that also saw him recalled to the Bafana Bafana squad.