By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Kaizer Chiefs have announced the departure of midfielder Njabulo Blom, who will return to his club after the expiry of his loan deal.
Chiefs signed Blom on loan from Major League Side St. Louis City, much to the excitement of the club’s fans, but somewhat he failed to live up to expectations.
“After completing his loan spell with Kaizer Chiefs, Njabulo Blom will return to his parent club, St. Louis City SC, in the United States of America,” the club stated.
“We wish him all the best in Major League Soccer (MLS).”
Blom has featured in 11 starting lineups and made eight substitute appearances, in both right-back and defensive midfield roles. He failed to replicate the form that earned him a move to the MLS in January 2023.
Blom earned his first contract with Chiefs at 19 years old and played four seasons with the team.
He began at the youth national level for the Under-20 squad. He guided the U-20 team to a third-place finish in the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations in 2019, where he played in four of the five matches. Blom then played in all three matches with the U-20 team in the 2019 U-20 World Cup. Following a successful run with the U-20, he earned his first call up with the senior national team on June 10, 2021 in an international friendly against Uganda.
Since then, Blom has tallied five call ups, including his participation in the World Cup Qualifiers where he recorded his first cap for the national team against Ghana on September 6, 2021.