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Cape Town - Orlando Pirates legend Steve 'Chippa' Lekoelea believes Kaizer Chiefs must break the bank and hand Hendrick Ekstein a lucrative extended contract.
Ekstein and Chiefs are yet to agree to terms on a new deal despite the fact the attacking midfielder's current contract expires at the end of 2018/19.
The 28-year-old is said to be not happy with the terms of a current offer on the table and is awaiting a revised and improved set of financial terms.
Speaking to Kickoff, Lekoelea, who played for the Sea Robbers between 1995 and 2005, said: "Ekstein wants money, is that so? Let them give him money so he can continue with his performance.
"They must give him money because he is performing. He and Chiefs must talk so he can continue playing there. They are treating him well there at Chiefs as you can also see they are struggling as it is. So if he leaves, their midfield will struggle. They must speak to him so he can stay.
"They must give him the money. They must not allow him to leave. This thing of statistics saying he created so many chances and so many goals is not working, they must look at what he does on the field. They must forget about the statistics, he is a good player and he's still young and he will grow with this game.
"This is what kills the standard of football here at home because they will compare you with somebody, which is not fair. Ekstein is Ekstein, [Mandla] Masango is Masango, Steve Lekoelea is Steve Lekoelea, Jabu Pule is Jabu Pule that's all, no one will be like him.
"Ekstein is one, even if he can die there will never be another Ekstein... this thing of saying this boy reminds us of so and so... every time Ekstein plays they say he reminds them of who? Jabu, is that so? That's what they say. He will never be like Jabu. Ekstein plays his own game, they must just give him money that's all.
"Chiefs made a mistake with Reneilwe saying he is old, and he went to SuperSport [United] and performed. I know they will say Ekstein is big-headed now. That's what they will be saying just because he wants money.
"No! It's time. He also wants a family, he must support his family. How is he going to support it if they give him little money? This guy is a professional player, he must earn good money. Tomorrow they are going to say 'hey he doesn't have money, he ate all his money, he misused it' not knowing that he earned little money.
"I'm saying he must talk to Chiefs and Chiefs must talk to him, he is a good player, he is at the right place there at Chiefs, they must just give him the money so their good relationship can continue."
