Johannesburg - Siphiwe Tshabalala has thanked Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung for giving him space to decide on his future.

The Bafana Bafana winger penned a new three-year deal with Amakhosi on Tuesday after Crystal Palace revealed they may only offer him a contract in June following his trial with the Championship side.

Tshabalala explained how he reached his decision to Chiefs' official website.

"I requested to meet the chairman to ask him to give me more time to think about my future," he said. "I am grateful that he allowed me to do that. I gave him my word that if I have to leave Chiefs it would be for a team in Europe and through the blessings of the club. He also told me that if something comes up he will not stand on my way. The chairman was very understanding.

"Having given me the time I went back to him and told him; 'I am ready to renew'. He was delighted with my decision. It is now up to me to repay the faith the chairman and the club has shown in me and that I can only do it on the field."

The ex-Free State Stars playmaker insists he faced no undue pressure to extend his stay at Naturena.

"I should make it clear that it was my decision to stay with the team and I was never put under pressure," he said. "I am grateful to my manager, Jazzman Ramahlakane. He was very supportive throughout the process."

Looking ahead, 'Shabba' is eager to help the Glamour Boys claim PSL honours this season, with Sundowns currently three points ahead at the summit.

He said: "It remains my ambition to win the league title with the club. I am lucky to have collected few trophies during my stay since my arrival back in 2006. I want to win the league now.

"Having won it with Free State Stars in the first division, I know how it feels and I want to feel the same way with the Chiefs. We are only three points adrift to leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and we believe that winning the league is within our reach."