Image: Afrik-Foot
Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Tshepo Masilela has cast doubt over the club’s latest transfer business, questioning whether new signing Renaldo Leaner is the dependable goalkeeper Amakhosi need as they prepare for a demanding 2026/27 campaign.
Chiefs confirmed the arrival of the 28-year-old shot-stopper earlier this week after he joined the club as a free agent following his departure from Sekhukhune United. Leaner arrives at Naturena after an impressive season that saw him earn his first senior Bafana Bafana call-up, but Masilela believes there are still question marks over whether he can handle the pressure that comes with playing for South Africa’s biggest club.
Leaner joins an already crowded goalkeeping department that includes club captain Brandon Petersen, Bruce Bvuma, Rwanda international Fiacre Ntwari, Bontle Molefe and highly-rated youngster Takalani Mazhamba.
With Kaizer Chiefs set to compete in the Betway Premiership, MTN8 and CAF Confederation Cup this season, new goalkeeping coach Olivier Sorin will have a busy schedule to manage, making squad depth more important than ever.
However, while Masilela acknowledges the need for competition between the posts, he believes Chiefs are still searching for a goalkeeper they can genuinely trust should Petersen be unavailable.
“When it comes to goalkeepers, I would say you do need a number two. The number two that you know that this is my stable number two for the upcoming season,” Masilela said on SoccerBeat.
The former Bafana Bafana defender questioned whether either Bruce Bvuma or Fiacre Ntwari had convinced the technical team they could step into the starting role if required.
“If you look at last season, is Bruce the number two at Kaizer Chiefs? I don’t think so. Is Ntwari the number two at Kaizer Chiefs? Meaning are those guys the trusted number two?
“You can be a number two, yes, but are you trusted? If something goes wrong, the first choice or Brandon Petersen gets a long-term injury, can we count on you?”
Could another goalkeeper leave Naturena?
Masilela believes Leaner’s arrival could trigger further movement within the squad, predicting that one of the club’s current goalkeepers may be shown the exit door before the transfer window closes.
Bvuma recently signed a contract extension, while Ntwari still has two years remaining on his current deal, creating an interesting selection dilemma for Chiefs’ technical team.
“I think they are looking at it as they want a trusted number two, a keeper who they can trust, who they know that if something goes wrong they can bank on,” he explained.
“Time and again, Brandon has these small injuries, missing two or three games and he is back again. And if you look again, Kaizer Chiefs qualified for Africa again and it means more games for them. They qualified for the MTN8 this coming season and it means more games for Kaizer Chiefs.”
He continued:
“With this signing, I’m looking at that one has to be released. It’s either Bruce or Ntwari. I think one is going to be released. Who is leaving Kaizer Chiefs? I’m not sure, but I have this strong feeling that one has to leave.”
Questions over Leaner’s departure from Sekhukhune
Despite Leaner’s strong performances last season, Masilela admitted he remains unconvinced by the transfer, pointing to the circumstances surrounding the goalkeeper’s exit from Sekhukhune United.
For Masilela, the fact that Leaner was allowed to leave as a free agent raises questions about whether he is truly the long-term solution Chiefs are looking for.
“Am I convinced that the new keeper is their best number two or trusted? When you leave Sekhukhune as a free agent and we ask ourselves, ‘Why?'”
“I’m not really convinced. And again when you move from Sekhukhune to Chiefs, it’s a different environment, different pressure, different set-up and the expectations are very high.”
Leaner will now have the opportunity to prove those doubts wrong as Chiefs begin a new era under head coach Fernando da Cruz. With domestic and continental football on the agenda this season, competition for the number one jersey is expected to be fierce, and every goalkeeper in the squad will know that opportunities could come at any moment.
Whether Leaner establishes himself as the reliable deputy Chiefs have been searching for remains to be seen, but his arrival has already sparked one of the club’s biggest selection debates before a ball has even been kicked this season.
Source: www.iol.co.za
