Midfielder Ethan Chislett has reportedly arrived in the country to finalise his transfer to Kaizer Chiefs.
Chislett is reported to have turned down an opportunity to continue his stay at English club Port Vale, who have just been promoted to League One, the country’s third tier, in favour of a return to South Africa now that he is a free agent.
He returns to the country which he left at the age of four for England and hopes that a stint at Chiefs will see him play his way into coach Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana squad for the 2026 World Cup.
Amakhosi’s new man already in town
According to FARPost, the 26-year-old touched down at the OR International Airport on Thursday and headed straight to the Chiefs Village in Naturena to complete the formalities of his deal.
Chislett has reportedly signed a two-year contract, with an option to extend by one more at Chiefs, and will add depth and quality to coach Nasreddine Nabi’s squad.
The father of the Durban-born star Donovan played in the PSL previously but his son chose to ply his trade in England since leaving South Africa as a four-year-old.
Donovan is represented by prominent agent Mike Makaab, who played a large part in his return to the country, having spoken glowingly of the midfielder’s qualities in a recent interview.
What can Chiefs fans expect from Chislett?
“Ethan Chislett is exciting. We’re talking to a number of clubs in the country. When his father played in South Africa, I represented his father – he was a hard-working, steely type of player. But when I saw Ethan play, I watched a number of his games and highlights. Goodness me,” Makaab told iDiski Times.
“He has a great engine, but his technical ability, to pass, score goals, set-pieces, it’s absolutely phenomenal. I am quietly confident we will see him in the PSL this season,” he added, giving a hint of what he was cooking behind the scenes.
The attacking midfielder scored four goals and provided one assist in 28 games for Port Vale last season and overall, he has 16 goals and 13 assists in 168 games for both Port Vale and AFC Wimbledon in the last five years.
