Chris Theko
Lesotho international Tumelo Khutlang could well be back in the picture for South African Limpopo-based Premier Soccer League side Black Leopards after missing out on putting pen to paper with side by whisker due to international players quota.
The 25-year-old forward had fallen out at Leopards since it started changing and chopping coaches from the start of the 2019/20 season.
Black Leopards last week Friday confirmed the termination of Madagascar international Andriamirado Andrianarimanana’s contract.
The former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder’s foreign spot at the club will now be taken by Lesotho international Tumelo Khutlang, who was not registered with the Premier Soccer League at the beginning of the season.
There has been confusion over whether Khutlang will be playing any part at Black Leopards this season.
But according to a source inside the club, he is now going to be registered and can possibly retain his spot in the Alarn Clark and his assistant Lehlohonolo Seema’s first team.
In the 2019/20 he played only five times for Lidoda Duvha and according to the club he was not registered with the PSL for the current season.
Khutlang, who can play as striker or winger, arrived at Leopards from Lioli FC in 2018 after an impressive campaign with Lesotho in the Cosafa Cup.
“Khutlang is still with Leopards but as you can see there were no more foreign slots. He was then not registered due to foreign quota but he is still here,” a source inside.
According to a second source, the club had initially planned to loan out the player but the arrival of a new coach might have twisted things a little.
“From what I’ve heard he has not been registered. We don’t know what’s going to happen because of the new coach now who wants to use him but not sure if they still have a foreign slot or not,” the insider reveals.
“There’s been rumours that the club wants to loan him but that hasn’t happened yet because there’s supposed to be an agreement between three parties, including him and the team that Leopards wants to loan him to.
“But the player continues to train with the team as he awaits his fate.”
Khutlang has not featured in any of the club’s official matches this season. He is in his second season with Leopards having signed with the club after an impressive campaign with Lesotho at the 2018 COSAFA Cup.
However, his fortunes might just be doomed because days after the news of him being registered with the PSL, the winger was reported to have sustained an injury during training when he twisted his ankle. Table
