Kaizer Chiefs have finally won the race for highly-rated Baroka FC attacking midfielder Siphelele Ntshangase's signature.

Bloemfontein Celtic made an improved offer for Ntshangase's services on Friday afternoon but Baroka chief executive Morgan Mammila confirmed to SowetanLIVE on Saturday morning that Chiefs beat their Free State rivals to capture one of the most sought-after signatures in domestic football.

“I can confirm that he (Ntshangase) will be a Chiefs player in January‚" Mammila said on Saturday.

"We are finalizing the deal and I don’t see anything stopping the move from happening‚ given the progress that we have made with negotiations.”

The Baroka CE also confirmed that it is a straight purchase and they are not getting any player from Amakhosi as part of the deal.

Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United were also in pursuit of the talented Ntshangase.

Out of Baroka’s fifteen matches in the league this season‚ Ntshangase featured in ten and he contributed three assists to help them to fourth place at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Mammila said the loss of Ntshangase is not a massive big blow for them because they have other equally capable players who will carry the club’s ambitions of finishing the season in a good position.

“He was an important player for us but life goes on‚" Mammila said.

"We have other players in the team who will be given opportunities by the technical team to show what they can do for us.

"We will also see what we can get in the transfer market and take it from there‚” he said.

Baroka resumes their league programme on January 6 with a tough away clash against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium and they will be looking for maximum points to stay in touch with pacesetters Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Cape Town City and Chiefs.