Kaizer Chiefs have been risking big this season. The reason? The squad has only one traditional defensive midfielder in a league dominated by fast transitions.
Sibongiseni Mthethwa is shouldering the full workload as Amakhosi’s sole No.6. Should he get injured, suspended, or lose form, the team is one slip away from chaos.
THE DANGEROUS GAP IN KAIZER CHIEFS SQUAD
Thabo Cele was signed as a potential cover, but he is a holding midfielder, not a defensive specialist. Cele excels at keeping possession, controlling tempo, and distributing the ball, but breaking up play isn’t his strong suit. Adjusting from Europe’s structured leagues to the high-speed chaos of the Betway Premiership has been a challenge, and Kaizer Chiefs have tried pushing him further up as a No.8, with limited success.
Some fans have also suggested Sphesihle Ndlovu could fill the role. While energetic and willing to track back, Ndlovu is naturally a ball-carrying central midfielder. Putting him in the No.6 spot would leave Amakhosi exposed; he doesn’t have the positional discipline or defensive instincts required to shield the backline effectively.
Even in the reserves, options are thin. Thulani Mabaso is more of a holding midfielder like Cele, not a true defensive destroyer. That leaves one best solution: Edson Castillo.
EDSON CASTILLO RETURN
Castillo’s exit before the start of the season was a shock, and curiously the club never officially announced it. Nevertheless, he’s been spotted training on his own back home in Venezuela. In 2022/23, Castillo played 25 matches for Chiefs, 15 of them in defensive midfield. Before joining Amakhosi, he featured 24 times as a defensive midfielder for Caracas in Venezuela.
The bonus? Castillo fits the mould of Teboho Mokoena, Sihle Nduli, and Thalente Mbatha, a player capable of winning the ball and using his technical ability to create play. Kaizer Chiefs don’t need to reinvent the wheel. They already have the solution, they just need to recall Castillo before he signs elsewhere.