Former Kaizer Chiefs star Njabulo Blom joins new club in Asia
- Martin T
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
Njabulo Blom, the player who rose to prominence at Kaizer Chiefs, is embarking on a new challenge in Asian football, having officially signed with Vietnamese V.League 1 champions Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC.
The club announced Blom's arrival on Friday, signalling a new direction for his career after his loan at Chiefs ended last season.
Blom was unveiled alongside fellow new signing, striker Kyle Hudlin, ahead of the 2025/26 Vietnamese top-flight season.
"Welcome, Kyle Hudlin and Njabulo Blom, to the big Southern Blue Steel family," reads the club statement.
"Kyle Hudlin, born on 15/6/2000, is a British citizen and plays as a striker. He has a remarkable height of 2m1. Before joining the Southern Steelers, Kyle Hudlin played for English football teams such as Huddersfield Town B and Newport County.
"Njabulo Blom, born on 11/12/1999, is a South African citizen and plays as a midfielder. He was a familiar face in the American Professional Soccer League - now known as MLS - when he played for St Louis CITY SC. Njabulo Blom was also summoned up and played for the South African National Team."
Blom's journey has seen its share of twists. After making a name for himself at Naturena, he secured a move abroad to Major League Soccer (MLS) side St. Louis City SC. While his initial displays in the United States of America were impressive, as he even played for Bafana Bafana, a period of struggle followed.
However, his subsequent loan return to Chiefs didn't result in a permanent deal. The Soweto giants chose not to activate their purchase option, reportedly because he "failed to impress." Last season, during his loan spell at Amakhosi, Blom played in 19 matches (starting 10) across right-back and defensive midfield, but he couldn't quite regain the form that earned him his MLS move in January 2023.
Blom now heads to Southeast Asia, where he'll deploy his defensive and midfield skills for Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC.
This new chapter presents an opportunity to reignite his career in the Vietnamese top flight. However, it remains uncertain whether this move is a permanent transfer or another loan from St. Louis City SC.
