Safa says Baxter is contracted to Bafana‚ and rumours are just rumours

Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter is contracted to the South African Football Association‚ and any rumour or speculation he might leave to join Kaizer Chiefs will be treated as such‚ Safa has said.

Safa posted on the official Bafana Bafana Twitter page on Saturday that no-one has spoken to the association about Baxter potentially leaving his post with the national team and joining any club.

“Coach Stuart Baxter has a contract with SAFA & no one has spoken to the Association regarding otherwise‚” Safa Tweeted.

“We will treat rumours doing rounds as just rumours.”

Speculation on social media has been intense as Chiefs’ deadline of Monday to announce a replacement as head coach for Steve Komphela‚ who stepped down in April‚ approaches that Baxter could be on the verge of leaving Bafana for a return to Amakhosi.

A source close to Baxter‚ also a Safa insider‚ told TimesLIVE on Friday they had heard this was the case.

But Baxter’s agent‚ Steve Kapeluschnik‚ denied having spoken to Chiefs‚ or any PSL club.

The Bafana coach has been on holiday in Sweden.

Baxter‚ who has a contract until June 2022 with Safa‚ won league and cup doubles with Chiefs in 2012-13 and 2014-15. Those were the last trophies Chiefs won as they then went three seasons without silverware under Komphela.