The curtains are rapidly closing on Ashley Du Preez’s turbulent four-year spell at Naturena. In a major transfer development, the 28-year-old speedster is on the absolute verge of returning to the Western Cape, with Stellenbosch FC successfully locking down personal terms with the out-of-favor forward.
While initially signed from Stellies in 2022 to spearhead a new era of Amakhosi dominance, Du Preez’s blazing pace was consistently overshadowed by a critical lack of composure in front of goal—ultimately forcing new head coach Fernando Da Cruz to sanction his departure.
The Ultimate Fall from Grace
Du Preez’s final season at Naturena was nothing short of a nightmare for the Cape-born forward, completely draining his confidence on the big stage:
- The Stat Line: He was restricted to just 12 appearances across all competitions last season, largely finding himself deployed as a late substitute.
- The Goal Drought: He failed to find the back of the net a single time all season, a statistic that sealed his fate under the new technical team.
- The Breaking Point: A series of high-profile, costly misses—most notably a glaring, open-goal opportunity during a crucial CAF Confederation Cup fixture—turned the demanding fan base against him.
The Mega Swap Deal: Is Langelihle Phili Bound for Naturena?
With personal terms officially agreed upon between Du Preez and the Stellies management, the two clubs are now locked in boardroom negotiations to clear the final hurdle.
Insiders confirm that the transfer is highly likely to manifest as a blockbuster swap deal. Kaizer Chiefs are aggressively targeting Stellenbosch’s sensational rising winger, Langelihle Phili, to reinforce their attacking flanks in Spain. Should a direct player-swap collapse, Stellies will have to fork out a substantial transfer fee to bring their former talisman back to the Winelands.
The Silver Lining: Du Preez departs Soweto having lifted just a single piece of silverware—the 2025 Nedbank Cup—and will look to the familiar tactical setups of the Danie Craven Stadium to completely revive his international ambitions.
