Kaizer Chiefs are reportedly completing the permanent transfer of Aden McCarthy to Azerbaijan outfit Sabah FK.
The 22-year-old defender becomes the fifth Amakhosi player to secure a move abroad in the last four years.
ADEN MCCARTHY BECOMES LATEST KAIZER CHIEFS OVERSEAS EXPORT
While the transfer fee remains undisclosed, McCarthy joins a growing list of players who have helped the Soweto giants generate more than R41 million through overseas sales since 2022.
The move is another sign that Kaizer Chiefs continue to attract interest from international clubs, with several academy graduates and senior players using Naturena as a stepping stone to opportunities overseas.
HOW AMAKHOSI EARNED MORE THAN R41 MILLION FROM FIVE SALES
The biggest overseas sale during this period remains defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, who completed a move to Libyan side Al-Ittihad in 2025 for an estimated R15.7 million.
The Botswana international’s departure surpassed the fee received for Siyabonga Ngezana, who joined Romanian giants FCSB in 2023 for around R12 million.
Ngezana has since established himself as one of South Africa’s most successful exports in Europe, helping FCSB compete for domestic honours and European football.
Before that, midfielder Njabulo Blom left Kaizer Chiefs for Major League Soccer side St. Louis City SC in the United States in 2022. The deal was worth an estimated €625,000, roughly R11 million at the time.
More recently, Yusuf Maart secured a move to Austrian club SV Ried in 2025. Although the transfer fee was more modest at around R2.6 million, it added to Chiefs’ growing income from player exports.
With McCarthy now heading to Azerbaijan, the tally stands at five permanent overseas sales between 2022 and 2026. Based on the disclosed figures for Blom, Ngezana, Ditlhokwe and Maart alone, Kaizer Chiefs have already earned approximately R41.3 million.
The final figure is expected to be higher once McCarthy’s transfer fee is revealed, meaning Amakhosi’s overseas transfer earnings during this period could comfortably surpass the R45 million mark.
For a club often criticised for its activity in the transfer market, the sales demonstrate that Kaizer Chiefs remain capable of producing and developing players who can attract interest beyond South African football.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM KAIZER CHIEFS IN THE LOOMING TRANSFER WINDOW?
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