Barcelona academy make contact over Chiefs youngster
Spanish giants FC Barcelona have enquired into the availability of Kaizer Chiefs youngster Mduduzi Shabalala, the Siya crew has been informed.
Shabalala has been one of the standout stars for coach Vela Khumalo’s side in the Amakhosi reserve side this season and his bright performances have not gone unnoticed as he has managed to grab the attention of the Catalan outfit’s development structures.
According to Siya sources, Shabalala was set to jet out to Spain to undergo an assessment after being crowned the COSAFA U17 Player of the Tournament last year. However, the trip was subsequently cancelled.
Now, the latest news reaching the crew is that Barcelona’s famed academy, La Masia, have made contact with Chiefs over the player, but no official agreement has been reached yet.
According to insiders, Barca are exploring the idea of inviting the attacker for an assessment at the club when the current season concludes in June.
The striker has experienced a rapid upwards trajectory in his career over the last two seasons, with his recent hat-trick scored against Royal AM a massive talking point in the football fraternity, which subsequently saw him voted in by supporters as one of the players to take part in the inaugural DStv Compact Cup.
To his advantage, the COVID19 outbreak that crippled the Chiefs camp late last year provided Shabalala with an opportunity to be roped into the club’s first team, where he was named as a substitute for coach Stuart Baxter’s side in their 2-0 DStv Premiership win over Sekhukhune on December 12.
It may have been the break that the young talent needed to boost his professional career.