Ex-Wits defender Hlanti training with Kaizer Chiefs

As they  wait for the outcome of their appeal against a transfer ban, Kaizer Chiefs have decided to call their target Sifiso Hlanti to come and train with them.

Hlanti, who is currently a free agent after leaving the now-defunct Bidvest Wits after the club sale to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM), started training with Amakhosi yesterday.

The left-back has been heavily linked with Chiefs to reunite with former coach at Wits Gavin Hunt despite their Fifa transfer ban that prevents them from registering new players for the next two transfer windows.

Chiefs are still unsure of what the outcome of their appeal will be as they wait for the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to deliver the verdict.

Hlanti's manager Sizwe Ntshangase said should Chiefs win their appeal then they can sign him but for now he is just training to keep fit.

“For the player to train with the club if he is a free agent, there is no harm in that... because he can train there or probably with another club,” Ntshangase told Sowetan.

“If they are interested in him they will then talk to us if their appeal is successful. For now, he is just training as a player who doesn’t have a club.

“There is nothing which has been signed with Chiefs. It is just training after they requested him to train with them and we agreed."

The pressure to sign new players has been felt by Chiefs' millions of supporters after the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates moved swiftly to bolster their respective squads for the upcoming season.

Sowetan can confirm that Hlanti's former teammate at Wits, Keagan Ritchie, also started training with Swallows yesterday.

Ritchie is also a free agent and can sign with Swallows should he impress them.