PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – JANAURY 25: Neo Maema of Mamelodi Sundowns during the Nedbank Cup, Last 32 match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Sibanye Golden Stars at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on January 25, 2025 in Pretoria, South Africa. (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
Kaizer Chiefs were previously linked with an interest in Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Neo Maema, and now the Siya crew finds out the latest on the situation.
With one year remaining on his contract, the 29-year-old former Bloemfontein Celtic midfielder had expressed a desire to fight for his place at the Brazilians.
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However, insiders close to the player have indicated that Chiefs are still believed to be keen on Maema.
The Siya sources added that the ball is in Maema’s court for his next move.
“What I can tell you is that we know and believe that Kaizer Chiefs are believed to be highly interested in signing him but him as a player has indicated that he would want to fight for his place at Sundowns which seems very slim. That’s why we believe his destiny or destination is in his own hands. This is whether he joins Chiefs or not,” the insider told the Siya crew.
A second Siya source close to the situation stated that while Maema intends to remain at Sundowns, the club’s planned squad downsizing could force his hand.
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“It won’t be easy, though, for him at Sundowns going forward. It’s believed that the squad downsizing will affect a lot of players and he could be one of them. Though he still has one year remaining on his contract. So, a move away could be the best solution for him in this condition. So, the Chiefs move could still be on the cards at the end of the season,” the second source described the situation.
Maema joined Sundowns in 2021 from now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic on a five-year contract set to expire in June 2026. However, with fierce competition in Sundowns’ squad, the midfielder has not received enough game time, featuring in just a few league matches this season.
As Chiefs look to strengthen their midfield, Maema’s next move will be one of the key stories to watch when the transfer window reopens.
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