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Can Cele turn things around at Chiefs?
Soccer Laduma
|January 15, 2026
Just under a year ago, Kaizer Chiefs announced the signing of long-term transfer target Thabo Cele from Russian side FC Fakel Voronezh. The midfield-general was supposed to bring added quality and European know-how to the table, even if he had very little experience at international level. After signing midway through last term, Cele was tipped for a big campaign this time around after a full preseason. Instead, we are yet to see the best of him in the 2025/26 campaign and rumours swirl about why he was left in the stands before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations break. In this feature, we look at the player's stats and ask if his time at the Naturena-based club is set to improve or faces a premature end. What does he bring to the team, and how does he compare to the other engine room options? Soccer Laduma investigates.
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Just under a year ago, Kaizer Chiefs announced the signing of long-term transfer target Thabo Cele from Russian side FC Fakel Voronezh.
The midfield-general was supposed to bring added quality and European know-how to the table, even if he had very little experience at international level. After signing midway through last term, Cele was tipped for a big campaign this time around after a full preseason. Instead, we are yet to see the best of him in the 2025/26 campaign and rumours swirl about why he was left in the stands before the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations break. In this feature, we look at the player's stats and ask if his time at the Naturena-based club is set to improve or faces a premature end. What does he bring to the team, and how does he compare to the other engine room options? Soccer Laduma investigates.
had a very good game. He is a player who drives other players forward. We need a player like this who can level up the technical quality of the team.”
If Maboe is seen as an upgrade technically on Cele, that does not bode well for their battle for one position. It is difficult to see how Maboe and Cele could play as a midfield pairing as they would be lacking some physicality. Whilst Amakhosi are yet to win any of the three games that Maboe started, the player has been superb on each occasion.
This story is from the January 15, 2026 edition of Soccer Laduma.
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