SPURS RAIDED

A WEEK after signing Asanele Velebayi from Cape Town Spurs, Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs finally secured the services of Luke Baartman on a free transfer.

Baartman had earlier on Tuesday been declared a free agent by the PSL’s Dispute Resolution Chamber after Chiefs’ attempt to sign him for free had been contested by Spurs.

Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr wysed: “We’re thrilled to welcome Luke to our team.

“He is an exciting young talent who we’ve been monitoring for the past few seasons both at club level, in the Bayhill Cup – where he was voted player of the tournament – and the Uner-17 national team that played at the Africa Cup of Nations.

“We believe he will bring valuable versatility, playing both as a centre-forward and winger. We look forward to seeing him in action soon.”

At just 19 years old, striker Baartman is regarded as one of the most exciting young footballers in Mzansi. He boasts jitz technical skills, including excellent ball control, dribbling and first touch.

While primarily a centre-forward, Baartman is adaptable and can perform in various attacking roles. While at Spurs, he was often deployed as an inside forward, winger and advanced playmaker.

Despite still being a teenager, he has been praised for his maturity and decision-making on the field. Off the field, he has shown a lot of dedication to improving his game, something the hierarchy at Naturena will appreciate in a player so young.

Unfortunately, despite all of his talents, he still needs to put a lot of time in the gym, as his slight frame might struggle in the top-flight. Because he is still so young, he has plenty of time to become a more all-rounded footballer.