Kaizer Chiefs legend casts doubts over new signing

Former Kaizer Chiefs star Tshepo Masilela has voiced his doubts over the club’s recent acquisition of goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner, suggesting the Soweto giants still lack a reliable second-choice option.

On Monday, Chiefs announced the signing of the 28-year-old Leaner as a free agent following his departure from Sekhukhune United. The move comes after an impressive 2025/26 season for the keeper, which saw him earn a call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad.

Leaner joins a crowded goalkeeping department at Naturena, which includes captain Brandon Petersen, Rwandan international Fiacre Ntwari, Bontle Molefe and Amajita prospect Takalani Mazhamba. The club hopes his arrival will further strengthen a unit that showed significant improvement last season under ex-keeper trainer Ilyes Mzoughi.

Chiefs legend not convinced with keepers

Fiacre Ntwari, Bruce Bvuma and Brandon Petersen, Kaizer Chiefs — Fiacre Ntwari, Bruce Bvuma and Brandon Petersen of Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Kaizer Chiefs

The signing provides more depth after Chiefs experienced a brief crisis last season when both Petersen and Ntwari were sidelined with injuries requiring surgery. New goalkeeper coach Olivier Sorin will be tasked with maintaining the high standards, with Petersen recently making the Bafana preliminary World Cup squad and Mazhamba graduating to the national Under-23 team.

However, Masilela remains unconvinced that Leaner, Bruce Bvuma, or Ntwari can be the dependable backup to Petersen that the team needs.

“When it comes to goalkeepers, you need a number two that you know is your stable number two for the upcoming season,” Masilela stated on SoccerBeat as per FARPost.

He questioned the reliability of the existing options, asking, “If you look at last season, is Bruce the number two at Kaizer Chiefs? I don’t think so. Is Ntwari the number two? Are those guys the trusted number two? If something goes wrong and Brandon Petersen gets a long-term injury, can we count on you?”

Either Bvuma or Ntwari should go

Bvuma and Ntwari, Kaizer Chiefs — Bruce Bvuma and Fiacre Ntwari of Kaizer Chiefs.

Masilela argued that neither Bvuma nor Ntwari performed at a level last season to secure the backup role definitively. “I don’t think any of those goalkeepers proved or performed to the level where we can say, ‘Okay, we are sorted with the number two.'”

With Ntwari having two years left on his contract and Bvuma entering his final season, Masilela predicts that Leaner’s arrival will force one of them out of the club.

“With this signing, I’m looking at it as one has to be released. It’s either Bruce or Ntwari,” he speculated. “I have this strong feeling that one has to leave.”

The former left-back also raised concerns about Leaner’s value, pointing to his exit from Sekhukhune as a free agent as a potential red flag.

Doubts over Renaldo Leaner’s quality

Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner. Image: Kaizer Chiefs

“Am I convinced that the new keeper is their best number two? When you leave Sekhukhune as a free agent, we ask ourselves, ‘Why?'” Masilela questioned. “If there was an option, they could have exercised it and gotten some transfer fee from the movement of the player.”

He concluded by emphasising the immense pressure that comes with playing for a club like Kaizer Chiefs and suggested the search for a truly reliable backup continues.

“When you move from Sekhukhune to Chiefs, it’s a different environment, different pressure, and the expectations are very high,” he added. “I’m looking at it as they are still searching for that reliable number two.”