Kaizer Chiefs are eagerly awaiting the return to fitness of talented young central defender Rushwin Dortley.
The 23-year-old signed from Cape Town Spurs and quickly became a key figure for his new club and indeed Bafana Bafana.
When will he be back?
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When will Rushwin Dortley be back for Kaizer Chiefs?
The first half of the campaign was one to forget for Chiefs. Rushwin Dortley, however, was one of the true bright sparks of a season threatening to peter out into nothing. The 23-year-old central defender from Cape Town immediately looked assured and at home in big matches for Chiefs, and indeed South Africa. Losing Dortley in March was a massive blow as the youngster needed surgery. Dortley quickly became a key pillar in the defence, making 21 appearances across all competitions before being struck down. The technical team will need to be cautious when they reintroduce him to the fold after such a lengthy layoff, but it’s undoubtedly a huge plus to see him on the comeback trail. As per the update below, Dortley has been out on the training grass since July. Clearly, the club is taking a cautious approach after the player’s first serious injury.
“Rushwin Dortley is running around a pitch, which is nearly empty – well, except for physiotherapist Phumzile Ngobese, who is monitoring the defender’s run closely,” Amakhosi announced on 15 July.
It’s amazing how quickly things can change in football. The margins between success and failure have never been finer; failure to win the Nedbank Cup and another finish outside of the top eight would surely have been a step too far for many Chiefs fans. Instead, the Nedbank Cup is securely in the trophy cabinet, and Chiefs have made a good start to the 2025-2026 season, despite the defeat to Sekhukhune on Tuesday night.
Fringe players to leave Kaizer Chiefs
Nasreddine Nabi has hinted at more exits before the 22 September transfer deadline.
“It’s true that the squad is big and the technical staff, management, the sporting director, Kaizer Junior, is working on options to try offload the squad, to give some players, who didn’t have consistency or time to get more game-time, to other teams,” coach Nasreddine Nabi said.
“Some [of our] young players need to get the experience needed for the PSL, at other clubs, everyone is aware of that and is aware of what will take place.”