Chippa United want AWOL defender

Troubled out of contract former Mamelodi Sundowns player Siyabonga Zulu could make a dramatic return to Chippa United this week.

Sundowns terminated the wayward but talented Zulu’s contract in his absence last week after he failed to report for duty at the club’s Chloorkop headquarters for more than a month.

Chief executive Morgan Mammila confirmed to The Herald on Tuesday that the club is in talks with the players' agent to bring the defender back to Port Elizabeth.

Chippa have been struggling defensively and the club believes the experienced Zulu could perform a role in the back four.

“We are still in talks with his (Zulu’s) agent, but we have not signed him yet,” Mammila  said.

The former Platinum Stars player is not new to the Chilli Boys' structure as he spent a season at Chippa in 2015 on load from Orlando Pirates.

The move to Chippa is dependent on the 25-year-old working on his fitness as he has not played competitive soccer since going AWOL at Sundowns.

He will also be asked to commit to professional behaviour and told not disrupt the team as they begin their attempt to move out of the relegation zone.

An intermediary (agent) at Zulu’s agency Prosport International‚ Alban Newman‚ did not want to comment on the latest developments.

Zulu was recruited to Sundowns by coach Pitso Mosimane from Platinum Stars at the beginning of the season, but the former Bafana Bafana player found playing opportunities limited as he was below Tebogo Langerman and Lyle Lakay in the pecking order.

As a result of seeing little game time‚ Zulu grew increasingly despondent and this led to several transgressions of the club’s policies.

He appeared before two disciplinary hearings last year where he promised to mend his ways.

But he disappeared without trace last month and the club eventually terminated his lucrative contract in his absence after he failed to show up for a disciplinary hearing that was held at the club’s headquarters at Chloorkop on December 23.