Njabulo Blom’s agent Rob Moore has opened up on the difficult contract talks between Kaizer Chiefs and the Amakhosi youth product.
Blom, 22, still has a contract until June 2023 at Naturena, but talks over a potential extension have hit a snag as first reported by Soccer Laduma.
His agent confirmed that the club and the player’s camp have so far not agreed on a new deal, with Moore insisting what they are asking for the club’s youth product is not unreasonable even though the club doesn’t seem to be on the same page.
“I’d like to give you an example of player X at Kaizer Chiefs compared to Blom,” Moore told Andile Ncube on Sports Night Amplified.
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“So player X has never been a real regular at the club, Blom played in 28 out of 30 matches last season. Player X has never represented his country at senior level, Blom has. Player X has played less Premier [Soccer] League games than Blom has, but he is a number of years older. But Kaizer Chiefs currently pay player X five times of what they pay Blom and what their latest offer is to Blom, if you’re looking of what the earnings would be next season, Blom would only earn 50% of what player X is earning.
“Does that sound reasonable to you? Is this maybe a situation of I’m an academy player coming through the ranks and therefor I’m expected to receive less than others are -even though I’ve achieved more, at a younger age?
“This doesn’t sound like a bad guy or a rotten apple in the team. This sounds like a guy who is saying ‘well, hold on, I think what the numbers we’re asking for are actually reasonable, given the circumstances’. And what he’s asked for is actually less than what player X is earning.
“So where is the unreasonableness, where is the ridiculous demands. There is nothing like that at all and this is all about respecting what the player has achieved.”
Moore also insisted that Blom deserves a competitive salary despite coming through the club’s ranks because of the status he has grown into, having made his Bafana Bafana debut in September 2021.
“Yes, the player has come through the ranks and he’s been fantastic and all that kind of stuff, perfect, but ok, when you say you owe it to us because you’ve come through the academy and we have educated you, fair enough, that’s what his current contract is all about,” he added.
“He earns significantly less than what most players in the Kaizer Chiefs starting line-up earn. So he’s paid his dues by the current contract he is on Now, it’s about the next contract.
“What is fair and reasonable for what this player’s current standing is, relative in that club, and what his future potential is. By my thinking that’s not unreasonable.”
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