The best and worst signings of 2021/22

As the curtain has come down on the 2021/22 Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign, Neville Khoza and Sihle Ndebele pick the five best and worst recruits of the season.

Best signings

Neo Maema (Sundowns)

Maema, 26, joined Sundowns from now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic. The attacking midfielder was one of the players who delivered for Sundowns whenever he was needed, either coming from the bench or starting the game. In 35 appearances across all competitions he scored four goals and created seven assists to lead Masandawana to a historic treble.

Bandile Shandu (Orlando Pirates)

Having joined the Buccaneers from Maritzburg in the off-season, the versatile 27-year-old right-back enjoyed a stellar campaign with the Soweto giants. He was outstanding for the Buccaneers in the CAF Confederation Cup, netting four times and assisting once in 11 appearances. In all competitions, he scored seven goals from 45 fixtures. Shandu is even a Bafana Bafana player these days.

Olisa Ndah (Pirates)

Pirates captured Ndah from his native Nigerian top-flight side Akwa United during the off-season, having won the domestic league there. The 24-year-old centre-back didn't disappoint whenever he donned the famous black and white Pirates shirt. His ability on the ball and tactical awareness set him apart from many defenders in the division. Ndah started 20 league games. He was even included in Nigeria's squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon early this year.

Keagan Dolly (Kaizer Chiefs)

Dolly, 29, joined Chiefs after his contract with French side Montpellier wasn't renewed. Dolly went on to become one of Chiefs' best players. He scored eight goals, racking up four assists from 26 league matches. His fine performances also saw him make a return to Bafana's squad before he got injured towards the end of the season.

Friday Samu (Maritzburg)

Despite only joining the Team of Choice from Zambia Green Buffaloes in January, Samu scored five league goals from 12 outings, laying on 12 assists in the process. Samu's arrival proved the difference as Maritzburg escaped relegation. The 27-year-old striker is just a beast and is expected to attract interest from big guns soon.

And the flops...

Igor Makitan (Galaxy)

Makitan, 27, joined the club from FK Krupa of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the beginning of the season. The Bosnian centre-back looked the real deal at first, starting Galaxy's first 13 league games before vanishing in the second half of the season, when he never played a single game. Makitan is likely to be released before the new term.

Vasilije Kolak (Galaxy)

The 27-year-old goalkeeper failed to impress at Galaxy after also joining them from FK Krupa at the beginning of the season. In 11 appearances for the Rockets, Kolak conceded 16 goals and kept just two clean sheets. He then lost his place to Melusi Buthelezi, who conceded eight goals and kept seven clean sheets in the same number of games.

Abraham Majok (AmaZulu)

AmaZulu signed the 1.85m tall striker from Cypriot third division side Paeek in January. The South Sudanese was out of his depth. His movement off the ball and decision-making were shocking to say the least. Majok, 23, didn't score even once from 10 games across all competitions. He missed a number of clear-cut chances. The striker has since been released by Usuthu ahead of the fresh term.

Kwanda Mngonyama (Pirates)

Mngonyama, 28, linked up with the Buccaneers as a free agent after leaving Maritzburg in July. The centre-back would only make one start in six league appearances as the Pirates coaches preferred the likes of Ndah, Happy Jele and Ntsikelelo Nyauza in his position.

Sibusiso Mabiliso (Chiefs)

Mabiliso, a gifted left-back who made a name for himself in the junior national teams, struggled to knuckle down at Naturena with only six league caps this season. The 23-year-old joined Amakhosi as a free agent after leaving AmaZulu in July last year. Mabiliso didn't get a chance even when first-choice left-back Sifiso Hlanti suffered a season-ending injury. Instead, natural right-back Reeve Frosler was preferred ahead of him.