Former Kaizer Chiefs academy graduate Aden McCarthy has bid an emotional farewell to the club following his move to Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK. The transfer, worth more than R7 million excluding add‑ons, was confirmed on Tuesday, and McCarthy signed a three‑year contract with the European side. In a social media post sent less than 24 hours after his departure was announced, the defender wrote: “I arrived as a boy with a dream and leave as a man with memories that will last a lifetime.” McCarthy rose through the ranks at Naturena, first as a ball boy and later captaining the reserve side before making his senior debut in May 2025. That debut also saw him join his father, former Chiefs defender Fabian McCarthy, as the fifth father‑and‑son pairing to represent the Amakhosi first team.
During his time with the senior squad, McCarthy