Michael Olunga: 3 Reasons South African Giants Will Miss Out Again on Benni McCarthy’s Captain

Michael Olunga is unlikely to leave Al Duhail for Kaizer Chiefs in South Africa. Photo: Al Duhail

Michael Olunga: 3 Reasons South African Giants Will Miss Out Again on Benni McCarthy’s Captain

Joel Omotto 06:00 - 04.05.2025

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has been reported to be of interest to a top club in South Africa but here is why that transfer will not happen.

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has yet again been thrust into transfer speculation linking him to South African giants Kaizer Chiefs.

Olunga was the subject of interest from Chiefs at the end of last season as the club were searching for a striker following the appointment of former Yanga coach Nasreddine Nabi.

Now, South African outlet KickOff reports that Chiefs still admire the Kenyan striker, who plays for Qatar giants Al Duhail, but the Glamour Boys will miss out on Olunga once again over a number of reasons.

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Kaizer Chiefs’ on-pitch struggles

Kaizer Chiefs have been poor on the pitch in recent years.

Kaizer Chiefs may be a big name in South Africa and on the continent but they have been so poor on the pitch that players of the calibre of Olunga would not like to join.

Chiefs finished 10th last season and could do the same or even worse this term as they are ninth on the table, having lost 12 of their 26 league games, including Saturday’s Soweto Derby against bitter rivals Orlando Pirates.

Meanwhile, Al Duhail have been challenging for the league in Qatar and missed out by just two points this season.

It is difficult to see Olunga trading a title challenge in Qatar for a mid-table club in South Africa given also that there are no guarantees whether Nabi will succeed where his predecessors have failed.

Can Kaizer Chiefs afford Michael Olunga?

Michael Olunga is too expensive for Kaizer Chiefs.

Michael Olunga is one of the highest paid players in Qatar with an annual salary of close to $2 million at Al Duhail and it is hard to see how Chiefs can match or topple that.

The Harambee Stars captain is also valued at €8 million as per Transfermkt which means the South African giants would have to pay a record transfer fee for him.

That is impossible given Chiefs’ transfer budget is reported to be 80 million Rand as per Soccer Laduma which translates to €3.84 million, less than half of his value.

Only Mamelodi Sundowns pay close to such figures for a single player in South Africa and the financial package is impossible for the Soweto giants to manage.

Allure of big-money offers in the Gulf

Michael Olunga will likely choose big-money offers in the Gulf when he decides to leave Al Duhail. Photo: Michael Olunga/Facebook

Michael Olunga has not given any indication of leaving Al Duhail as he appears well-settled in Doha and also well-treated by the club and their fans.

However, in the unlikely event that he leaves, he will most likely choose from a host of offers in the Middle East where his name is big with clubs from Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia capable of paying him way more than the South African giants can imagine.