Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder George Maluleka has recalled how he left Amakhosi for Mamelodi Sundowns in 2020.
Having been a fan favourite at Naturena, Maluleka shocked many when he made a surprise switch to Downs.
Speaking on Behind the Boot with SuperJourno podcast, the ex-Chiefs star admitted there were complications which ‘forced’him to jump ship and join Sundowns after half a decade with the Soweto giants.
“There were too many things that happened at that time. There were too many complications, even in the boardroom. Bobby [Motaung] is getting sick, he had a small operation to do,” Maluleka said.
“Time was running out, it was March, and now there is COVID-19. There are so many dynamics that a lot of people don’t understand about that whole move.”
Maluleke’s move from Chiefs to Sundowns shocked fans
The former Ajax Cape Town midfielder said his father had to get involved to force a move to Sundowns.
“Let me try and sum it up, and I said, this is a very sensitive issue for me. I think going back to myself just as a human being, and how everything transpired, was not nice, even after I left.
“That time, time was running out. Bobby was sick, and COVID happened. There was a scuffle with my agent and I then had to bring my dad. My dad had to be involved as part of the deal,” Maluleka explained.
The former Kaizer Chiefs insist he did not betray the club and Sundowns came up with the offer.
“Sundowns came up with the offer, and that’s also another thing that people don’t understand, actually. They know, it’s not that they don’t understand. But they feel like I betrayed them.
But there are just so many things. I love Kaizer Chiefs. I have worked so hard this whole season. Does it really make sense for me to just leave at the time that I want to win the trophy with the team?
Maluleka said his contract with Kaizer Chiefs was expiring at the end of the 2019/20 season however he was not offered a new contract but Sundowns came up with an offer.
“I wanted to finish off because there was that, I mean, the league went into a bio bubble. There was an extension that even if you are joining another team. In order for that extension to happen. We all had to sign the contracts. But now that contract didn’t come to me.
“So many players signed pre-contracts everywhere, overseas we see it every year. I didn’t go to that point of boycotting or anything. I went to training. I was honouring my contract. But,anyway, whatever happened, happened. We can’t change it now,” Maluleka said.
The ex-Chiefs star only lasted two years at Sundowns before he joined AmaZulu.