THE feud between Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic over defender Lorenzo Gordinho has reached boiling point.
Siwelele are saying that if Amakhosi want Gordinho back, they also want Kabelo Mahlasela back.
The Soweto giants boss, Bobby Motaung, said on Metro FM on Friday that they want Gordinho, who was loaned out to Siwelele, back at their headquarters in Naturena by Monday.
But the Bloemfontein outfit told Amakhosi to return Mahlasela, who was part of the swap deal with Gordinho, to come back to Siwelele.
Mahlasela signed a two-and-half-year deal with Chiefs. The two teams signed an agreement to sell Mahlasela and loan out Gordinho for a season.
According to the agreement, Gordinho is expected to report back for duty at Chiefs in January. But the player wrote a letter to Celtic management requesting to be released from his contract.
The club told Gordinho to honour his contract and stop behaving in an unprofessional manner.
Celtic bosses Max Tshabalala and Khubulani Konco were not available for comment, but club spokesman Sello Nduna, who accused Amakhosi of not being professional, said the Soweto giants don’t have a case.
Nduna said Chiefs can go to any court in the world, but won’t get their player before December.
Nduna said: “It’s true that Gordinho wrote a letter to tell us that he was unhappy and that he wanted to return to Chiefs. But we won’t be dictated to by a player.
“We got him on loan for one season and we won’t release him, that’s the bottom line. Then Chiefs have to bring Mahlasela back us, so that we can be even.”
“Our advice to Chiefs is that they must wait for December and stop violating the agreement. They must respect the contract.”
Nduna emphasised that Siwelele got Gordinho before they appointed former Amakhosi coach Steve Komphela.
Apparently Komphela is happy with the defender and also doesn’t want him to be released.
Nduna added: “It’s not like we stole Gordinho. We got him here legally. We released Mahlasela before the end of his contract and Chiefs offered us Gordinho on loan. We won’t be bullied into releasing the player.
Nduna admitted that the club was going through financial problems, but insisted that players’ salaries have been paid.
“Gordinho has been paid just like the other players. Whether he likes it or not, he’s our player and he’ll play for us.”