SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews confirmed that they did not stand in the way of Tashreeq Morris’s transfer to Kaizer Chiefs because the offer was significantly higher than what they were paying him.

This forced SuperSport to sell Morris, as he was on a short-term contract expiring at the end of the season.

Morris joined SuperSport as a free agent after being released by Sekhukhune United at the end of last season. His brief stint with Gavin Hunt’s side proved successful enough to attract Chiefs, who signed him during the January transfer window, with Christian Saile moving in the opposite direction on loan.

It was a good piece of business for SuperSport, who received a substantial transfer fee for a player whom Coach Hunt described as a “street find.”

“Tashreeq Morris came at the age of 31 years old and said ‘Kaizer Chiefs want me and this is what they have offered me’,” said Matthews in Durban at their sponsor Jonsson Workwear in Durban on Friday. 

“They offered him more than what I was offering him. Should I have a miserable Tashreeq whose mind is somewhere else where he could be earning double what we were giving him? 

“Also, he was out of contract and we looked at the situation and we said ‘Hey, how can I benefit the club?  

“’Here is the 31-year-old who I signed on a short-term contract and we have got other number nines like Samir Nurkovic and Bradley Grobler but I don’t have something like Saile who can run behind the defence, who can break the lines, can add pace which Nurkovic doesn’t have’. 
“For me, I have got to be practical. To have Morris, Bradley, Nurkovic together all three, none of them have pace. 

“I have two nines and I have someone who can go.”  

Morris may have impressed the Chiefs technical team when he scored against them at the Peter Mokaba Stadium earlier in the season, contributing to SuperSport’s victory.

The 31-year-old left SuperSport having scored two goals in 10 appearances across all competitions.

He was recently unveiled by Chiefs alongside Thabo Cele and Glody Makabi Lilepo as their January signings.

However, Morris will not be available for selection immediately. He is suspended for the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday, having been sent off in his final game for SuperSport against his former club, Sekhukhune.