Uncertainty Surrounds Yusuf Maart as Kaizer Chiefs Reshuffle Squad

Kaizer Chiefs’ off-season rebuild has taken another significant turn with the confirmed exit of a fourth player, raising new questions about the future of club captain Yusuf Maart. As the end of June approaches, Maart’s contract with the Soweto giants is set to expire, and the silence around his renewal has stirred speculation.

The most recent confirmed departure is that of Mozambican defender Edmilson Dove, whose contract will not be extended beyond June 30. This follows the earlier exits of Ranga Chivaviro, Sabelo Radebe, and Njabulo Blom, whose loan was not renewed. The flurry of exits signals a serious shake-up at Naturena, with the club clearly aiming to reshape its squad for the upcoming season.

Maart’s situation, however, remains particularly intriguing. Just weeks ago, the 29-year-old midfielder was the hero of the Nedbank Cup final, scoring the winning goal against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates to end Amakhosi’s long trophy drought stretching back to 2015. Despite that moment of glory, uncertainty clouds his immediate future.

The club reportedly holds a two-year extension option on Maart’s contract, but there has been no official confirmation that it has been exercised. According to sources close to the situation, Kaizer Chiefs had until the end of May to activate the clause. Failing to do so by the deadline would allow Maart to negotiate freely with other clubs.

An experienced player agent weighed in on the matter, explaining the typical procedure. “End of May is standard to exercise the option. If a club does not act in time, the player becomes a free agent. However, because it’s Chiefs, players often wait longer out of loyalty or in hope of a late offer,” the agent said.

This approach might be exactly what Maart is doing—waiting to see if the club intends to retain him. “No one wants to leave Chiefs,” the agent added. “If the player still wants to stay, he may ignore other offers until he hears something definite from the club.”

Under South African football contract rules, if Maart has not signed with another club, Chiefs still have the opportunity to make him an offer—even after the option deadline. But once he commits elsewhere, that window will close, and Chiefs will lose him without compensation.

Efforts to contact Maart’s representatives for comment have so far been unsuccessful, leaving fans and observers in suspense.

With just days to go before contracts officially end, all eyes will be on Kaizer Chiefs to see whether they make a decisive move to keep their captain or risk losing yet another influential figure in what is shaping up to be a transformative off-season.