Tuesday will be crunch time for the clubless duo of Itumeleng Khune and Mandla Masango when they resume talks they hope will lead to reconciliation with former club Kaizer Chiefs. Goalkeeper Khune and midfielder Masango met with Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung on Friday at the club's Naturena Village.Khune and Masango are desperate to resolve their situation in order to remain in contention for national team selection for the 2017 Afcon and 2018 World Cup qualifiers. Bafana coach Shakes Mashaba will struggle to justify calling up players in the wilderness.A club insider told the Sunday Times that Khune "poured his heart out to Bobby and administrative manager Abdulla Mayet" at the Friday meeting."He came alone, looked very presentable in jeans, jacket and bowtie. After the meeting he went to greet the players who were having their lunch after training," said the source.Khune and Masango's contract renewal negotiations with the club collapsed due to what Chiefs called astronomical financial demands.Another player out in the cold for similar reasons is defender Tefu Mashamaite, who has not made any bid to reunite with the club he captained to league championship last season.story_article_left1Reigning Premier Soccer League player of the year Mashamaite attempted to join Major League Soccer outfit New York City but was unsuccessful after a 10-day trial early this month."We first met with Mandla, who came with his lawyer. We listened to what they had to say in terms of them wanting to come back and reconcile," said Motaung."Later it was Khune's turn. We listened to his presentation and that's where it ended."Motaung said the club has set a date with the duo for Tuesday to tackle the long drawn out saga that has hogged the headlines for several months."We have not raised our issues with them. It is going to be a bit of a process. There is no pressure on our side. It is not cast in stone that these talks will result in reconciliation," said Motaung."They left the club under a cloud. So there are a lot of dynamics we need to address, such as how the failed negotiations were handled, issues of respect, protocol and understanding their own responsibility to themselves. The bottom line is that all actions have repercussions," said Motaung, adding: "it's just a question of dealing with a matter properly so that this does not occur in future with any other player."Meanwhile, Chiefs have intensified their efforts to drape Sibusiso Vilakazi in gold and black.Motaung views the Bidvest Wits midfield maestro as the "missing piece of the puzzle" to complete the off-season transfer activity of the PSL champions."He is class player who fits perfectly with our ambitions. We see him as the cherry on top of what we have."We've had several meetings with Wits since June. They have given us a scenario of what they want and we've put an offer on the table."We have to wait for the club to accept the offer," said Motaung.Wits initially fended off advances for the player, stating that they will sell him only to an overseas club. But since Vilakazi's trial at Brondby of Denmark did not materialise in a transfer, the Clever Boys have softened their stance.This has opened a two-way bunfight between Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns to snatch 2013/14 PSL player of the season away from the Students.Sundowns, who have had a relatively quiet transfer activity by their previously extravagant spending-spree standards, are hellbent on securing the services of the Bafana Bafana star.The ball is in Wits' court.bbk@sundaytimes.co.za..