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Chiefs set for player shake-up

Johannesburg - Major player changes to Kaizer Chiefs are in the offing, soccer manager Bobby Motaung said on Wednesday.

The club has already signed Bafana Bafana defender Siboniso Gaxa from Belgian club Lierse SK, and up to seven new names are set to don the club colours next season.

"We are planning on adding six to seven new players for next season," Motaung said on Wednesday.

"We are in negotiations with the clubs regarding some players and respect that they have contracts with their teams."

Some of the players targeted by the club had mutual agreements on personal terms with Amakhosi.

Morgan Gould (SuperSport United), Eric Mathoho (Bloemfontein Celtic), midfielder Sibusiso Vilakazi (Wits) and striker Edward Manqele (Free State Stars) were reportedly in advanced stages of transfer talks with Chiefs.

"We have agreed with the players on personal terms. They have accepted and want to come here," Motaung said.

"I obviously can't do any more, and now it's up to the respective clubs to release them when we negotiate."

Motaung added that Santos striker Erwin Isaacs will not be coming to Chiefs, despite earlier rumours linking him to the Soweto giants. The Cape-based forward has been linked with Amakhosi for the last three seasons.

"We have not spoken to Isaacs and Santos about signing," Motaung said.

The Glamour side will look to rekindle lost ground, having gone through a rare trophy-less season.

According to Motaung, the re-building process for next season started when they successfully lured Gaxa, 26, back to the country on a three-year contract that starts from next season.

He left Mamelodi Sundowns -- shortly after the 2009 Fifa Confederation Cup tournament in national colours -- for Belgium two years ago.

"We started speaking to him a few months back," Motaung said.

"We've always held an interest in him, even before he joined Sundowns from SuperSport United.

"He's training with the team now based on the agreement we have had with Lierse, but he's available from next season."

Stuart Baxter, the Englishman who begins coaching duties at the club in June, also had a hand in the new developments.

There were contributions from interim coaches, Doctor Khumalo and Donald Khuse, who will also form part of Baxter's technical team.

"He [Baxter] has been engaged in the signings, and luckily he also knows South African players," Motaung said.

"The current technical team as well played a part."

The Chiefs' management has hinted that up to 10 players will leave the Chiefs Village to make way for new acquisitions.

While most fringe players will be released, the futures of veterans Jimmy Tau and Tinashe Nengomasha may also be in discussion in the coming weeks.

"We had to first check and then exhaust the quality of players that we have now," Motaung said.

"Khumalo and Khuse have done a fantastic job on that.

"We now have an idea of where to head in the new season."

Chiefs conclude the season with a Premiership match against AmaZulu at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

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