In a bid to bolster their midfield ahead of the 2023/24 season, Kaizer Chiefs are eyeing a Bafana Bafana star.
Chiefs have already signed two defenders – Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Given Msimango – from SuperSport United and TS Galaxy, respectively.
In midfield, they have added Mduduzi Mdantsane from Cape Town City, who signed a three-year deal.
However, the void left by Njabulo Blom, who joined MLS outfit, St Louis City SC, is yet to be filled.
Samkelo Zwane and Siyethemba Sithebe have taken turns playing that defensive midfield role, but they have yet to impress.
Chiefs have since identified an overseas-based Bafana star for that position, but there is a challenge.
Several top European clubs are tracking the player before the summer transfer window.
The 23-year-old Luke Le Roux is on the radar of Swedish giants Malmo FF, who are front runners for his signature.
He has also caught the interest of clubs in the Netherlands and Belgium.“We’ve been following him for quite a while and feel he would be a perfect replacement for Blom. He fits perfectly into how we play,” the Chiefs source told SN24.
A source close to the player said he was flattered by the interest of Malmo FF as it would present him with a golden opportunity to play in the UEFA Champions League.
“He wants to stay in Europe. His management team know about interest from Chiefs, but with South Africa having qualified for AFCON, they would want him to go to Ivory Coast as a free agent,” the source told SN24.
Malmo was Zlatan Ibrahimović’s first professional club. They are seasoned campaigners in the UEFA Champions League, a prospect that excites Le Roux.
The former Stellenbosch FC midfielder has impressed national team coach Hugo Broos and looks set to be on the trip to Ivory Coast in January 2024.
The former national team Under 17 captain has made tremendous progress since joining Allsvenskan club Varbergs BoIS in 2020.
He has established himself as a regular in the team, only missing a few matches due to work permit issues.
The former SuperSport midfielder has made 82 appearances for his current club, with one goal to his name.
Le Roux was part of all junior national teams and captained the Under 17s before playing a pivotal role in the Under 20s road to the 2019 World Cup finals. He has featured six times for Bafana.