Kaizer Chiefs are ready to listen to offers for Khama Billiat, whose contract is up for renewal in the coming months, the Siya crew has been told.
The attacker joined Amakhosi in July 2018 as a free agent following his decision to leave rivals Mamelodi Sundowns, though he was offered a new lucrative deal as then coach Pitso Mosimane was still keen on having him in his squad.
With Chiefs not paying a transfer fee to lure Billiat to Naturena, it opened the door for the club to table an improved package, reportedly around R8 million per annum.
Orlando Pirates were also in talks with the player over a possible move.
But the reality is that the Glamour Boys haven’t quite seen him produce the same form he did during his five years at Chloorkop.
At Sundowns, Billiat scored more than 50 goals in a little over 150 appearances, helping them win the league title three times and the CafChampions League.
It’s been different at Chiefs — he has only managed 15 goals in 79 games, and that indicates the club isn’t getting a return on their investment.
Siya sources have informed the crew that Amakhosi are now prepared to sell Billiat if the right offer comes along, but for them to have a strong bargaining power the club has to exercise his one-year option and indications are that Chiefs plan to, otherwise they risk losing him without getting a cent.
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Contacted for comment on Billiat’s future at Naturena, his representative, Godfrey Bakasa, insisted that the player’s focus at the moment was his recovery from a fractured leg bone and only after that he can discuss his contract.
“There are no talks yet (with Chiefs), they are just concentrating on him recovering. The team needs him fit and playing again, that is the situation at the moment,” Bakasa told the Siya crew this week.
Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt has also confirmed that Billiat (30), is back in training, but most of what he is doing is without the ball.
“I think he is pretty much just doing non-weight training. His cast is off, so he is doing swimming pool stuff and upper body strength. He is obviously missed and hopefully we can get him back because that is an area where we certainly lack in numbers. But it is going to be some time, a broken leg takes some time,” he told the media this week.
Billiat has attracted interest in the past from Al Ahly and Pyramids in the Egyptian Premier League, but it’s understood he is not keen on leaving Mzansi. -Online
