Kaizer Chiefs have developed some of the country’s most exciting talents like Mduduzi Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi over the past decade.
Players like Siyabonga Ngezana and Njabulo Blom have gone on to play abroad while also representing Bafana Bafana, a testament to the club’s youth pipeline.
Currently, Amakhosi continue to place faith in youth, regularly naming at least five players under the age of 22 in their matchday squad.
During the 2023/24 season, Wandile Duba, Mundo Vilakazi and Mduduzi Shabalala all broke into the first team. While the trio have experienced their share of ups and downs, they have consistently shown its quality whenever the team has found rhythm.
That potential was on full display this past weekend, as both Duba and Vilakazi found the back of the net in Kaizer Chiefs’ win over .
At the back, Aden McCarthy has also emerged as a promising option. The young defender continues to grow in leaps and bounds, driven by the ambition to follow in his father’s footsteps and succeed in the famous black and gold jersey.
With such talent developing, it is only a matter of time before interest from other clubs intensifies.
Among the current crop, Vilakazi arguably looks the most likely to attract attention. As one of the youngest members of the squad, he has already demonstrated glimpses of brilliance whenever given sufficient game time.
Kaizer Chiefs duo of Duba and Vilakazi on song
If entrusted with a consistent run of starts, Vilakazi could become a key attacking weapon, forming a dangerous partnership alongside Duba and Glody Lilepo.
For Chiefs, the priority should be clear: hold on to this exciting young core. With patience and proper development, Duba, Vilakazi and Shabalala could form the foundation of the club’s future success.
Amakhosi are building this season and if they are to compete for top honours, they should keep their youngsters for two more seasons. The likes of Vilakazi will be key in the future if Kaizer Chiefs are to return to glory days.