Amakhosi chairman Kaizer Motaung confirmed his club’s withdrawal from signing the striker from the team’s headquarters in Naturena, Johannesburg.

"We decided to pull off from the Peter Ndlovu 'deal' once he confirmed to us through his manager, Winston Makamure, what we had always suspected that they were also talking to Sundowns,” said Motaung.

“Initially we had agreed terms with Peter while he was overseas and we flew him over with his manager to sign the contract but once it became clear that the whole matter had now turned into an auction affair between the two clubs, we were no longer prepared to move forward and engage in such dealings."

Motaung also denied any knowledge of a statement he is said to have made on the Kickoff website regarding the signing of the player.

He says his club had a moral obligation to all its players, and their welfare including those in the development programme and would not find the deal involving huge amounts of money on one individual player justifiable.

Ndlovu's 'move to Chiefs' has been in the centre of wide media speculations and subsequently the club has been inundated with calls from anxious fans and supporters, who wanted to verify the rumours.

Asked to comment on the aborted deal, chief negotiator and Chiefs team manager Bobby Motaung said: "We welcomed Peter's proposal after he indicated repeatedly his wish to round off his playing career with us.

“But the agenda of his manager pushed us quite far using us to bargain for better deals elsewhere, now we can only wish the player good luck in his new club," said a seemingly relieved Motaung.