Kaizer Chiefs Sporting Director Kaizer Motaung Jr. has explained the reason behind the exit of defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe following a shock transfer to Libyan side Al-Ittihad.
Last Friday, Chiefs confirmed they had reached an agreement with Al-Ittihad for Ditlhokwe's transfer, having spent two seasons at Naturena.
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Speaking to the club's media, Motaung Jr. revealed it was Ditlhokwe who expressed a desire to make the switch when the club had been made aware of interest from the Libyan side, to which Amakhosi reluctantly agreed.
"It was not an easy decision for us when Al-Ittihad approached us regarding 'TT'," says Motaung Jr.
"We engaged the player and during our discussions, he expressed his desire to move to Libya for further experience and opportunities.
"As a Club, we didn't want to impede his progress, and we appreciate his professionalism and discipline.
"Although we will miss him, we believe this is a fantastic opportunity for him, and we would like to thank him for his dedicated service to Chiefs and wish him the best of luck in his new venture," he added.
The former SuperSport United centre-back had relatively been an important figure at the side, having featured more times than any other player, before that run was halted by a shoulder injury in November 2023.
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Under Nasreddine Nabi, the left-footer initially started out-of-favour but gradually fought his way back, bringing much-needed stability to the rearguard.
Ditlhokwe has featured in eight of Chiefs' last 10 league matches and boasts an overall total of 32 matches at the club.