Kaizer Chiefs head of recruitment reveals surprising January transfer details 

Kaizer Chiefs have already identified the players they want to sign in January and are now working on the June transfer window.

Chiefs are expected to make some reinforcements to the squad in the upcoming window and according to their head of recruitment and scouting Thembisa Maliwa, that work was completed four months ago and what remains is bringing in the players they identified.

“When you want to bring a player to your club, it does not start two months before, it starts 12 or eight months before,” Maliwa said on African Football Connect.  

“That is what I do, for instance, I am already preparing for the June 2026 transfer window now and we are about seven months before then and I am done preparing for January four months ago, before we even finished the June one,” he revealed.

Chiefs transfer boss planning long-term

“That is a strategy that I have. It does not start in the initial way; you must have your way of doing a long-term strategy of how you want to reach the June transfer window now and the negotiations starts,” added the former Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns scout.

“The process of talking to the coach, sporting director, talents and reports that you have seen is happening now before June 2026.”

Chiefs have been blamed for a scattergun approach when it comes to transfers in the past but Maliwa feels they are now getting it right, pointing to the improvements witnessed this season as testament to that.

Amakhosi ended the year in fourth position on the PSL table, four points behind leaders Orlando Pirates and will be looking to bring in more players for a string push in the second half of the season.