Kaizer Chiefs have less than 24 hours left to up their bid for Cape Town Spurs winger Asanele Velebayi, with the latter resigned to losing the 21-year-old before transfer deadline if the right offer lands on their desk, KickOff can reveal.
Velebayi has been one of the top targets for Amakhosi in the current transfer window, especially after they could not entice Polokwane City winger Oswin Appollis, who came close to signing for Algerian outfit MC Alger.
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Chiefs have been embroiled in a transfer saga involving the highly-rated star, which has somehow turned bitter after they allegedly involved his parents in an attempt to get the deal over the line, with their official bid rejected by Spurs.
After the Philippi native posted a Chiefs photo on his Instagram stories from the opening Betway Premiership encounter against Marumo Gallants, speculation has been rife on whether he was indirectly sending a message to his club.
In spite of the back-and-forth talks between the Urban Warriors and the Soweto giants, the opportunity to sign Velebayi still exists, according to CEO Alexi Efstathiou.
However, Amakhosi are not the only club that can make the deal happen before deadline on Friday midnight.
"Yes, of course [the deal could happen]. If there's any team that comes and puts the right offer, we will seriously look at it," Efstathiou revealed, speaking to KickOff.
When asked if Mzansi's most-supported side are still interested in the player, Efstathiou could neither confirm nor deny.
"There is serious interest, I can't specify [which teams]."
Indications are that Spurs are open to discussing the transfer of the 21-year-old, for nothing less than R8 million.
Giving an update on their stance over a bid from Chiefs, Efstathiou also reiterated that they will only sell Velebayi if his valuation is met, the same way they did with Rushwin Dortley to the same club, as well as the duo of Ashley Cupido and Chumani Butsaka to Stellenbosch FC.
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"Nothing has changed.
"That is what happened with Cupido, that's what happened with Rushwin, that's what happened with Chumani. So, I don't see why it should be different for Asanele."