Mamelodi Sundowns faced a massive decision before the start of the 2024/25 Betway Premiership: One or two foreign players have to make way to meet the Premier Soccer League’s foreign quota.
MAMELODI SUNDOWNS INTERNATIONALS
As reported in July, Kabo Yellow signed the 21-year-old Brazilian striker Arthur Sales from Belgium’s Lommel SK. Additionally, Sundowns have also taken a decision to recall the Bolivian midfielder Erwin Saavedra from loan. As a result, the African Football League champions have a total list of seven foreign players:
- Arthur Sales – Brazil
- Erwin Saavedra – Bolivia
- Marcelo Allende – Chile
- Lucas Ribeiro – Brazil
- Matias Esquivel – Argentina
- Abdelmounaim Boutouil – Morocco
- Abubeker Nasir – Ethiopia.
Note: Peter Shalulile and Denis Onyango have South African citizenship after spending more than five years working in Mzansi.
According to Premier Soccer League rules, clubs are permitted to register a maximum of five foreign players. Sundowns are therefore expected to make decisions on two players.
MATIAS ESQUIVEL LEAVES
New reports have revealed that the 25-year-old Argentine forward Esquivel, who only arrived in January, has been loaned out to Club Atlético Lanús in his homeland for 12 months.
“Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Matías Esquivel is set to leave the club to return to the Primera División with Club Atlético Talleres,” iDiski Times reported.
“iDiski Times understands the deal has appeased both parties, with Sundowns in line to secure a profit should the permanent transfer materialise at the end of his loan,” the report added.
In the meantime, Kabo Yellow could also part ways with Boutouil or Nasir.
RULANI MOKWENA TO SIGN BONGANI ZUNGU?
Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Bongani Zungu looks set to reunite with Rulani Mokwena in Morocco.
Coaches don’t always talk so openly about transfers, but Mokwena sounds truly eager to sign Zungu at his new club Wydad Casablanca. “I can only talk about Zungu, with Zungu we are talking, he has got interest from elsewhere but Zungu is very special, ” the new Wydad coach said on Marawa Sports Worldwide, as cited by iDiski Times.
““I have known Bongani Zungu for a very long time and he is a very, very good player and he still got a lot to offer and he is a good person too.
“That’s very important for me in working to align and I said that even yesterday to the players – the most important thing for me is to work with good people and that’s very, very important.
“And Bongs (Zungu) is a very good person, good heart, well raised. Incredible family, incredible mother, incredible siblings.
“So, he is someone I have a lot of respect for and someone I would love to have here but let’s see whether it’s possible because sometimes it’s got a lot more to do with many other things than just football.
“So, we are still talking and hopefully something comes up,” the former Sundowns coach concluded.
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