Johannesburg – While the biggest player move to hit the world of football recently was the move of Argentinian striking darling Lionel Messi from Barcelona in Spain, to become the most valuable player at Paris Saint Germain in France on a €25-million (R434-million) signing on fee, and a two-year contract with a net salary of €25-million a year, Mzansi is also experiencing its own low-key player movement.
Still on player moves abroad, many have, rightly or wrongly, labelled Bafana Bafana and Brighton and Hove Albion star striker Percy Tau’s mooted move to African champions Al Ahly as a downgrade or demotion.
Incredibly though, his coach Graham Potter at Brighton has indicated that Tau is going nowhere near his former mentor at Mamelodi Sundowns, coach Pitso Mosimane, after registering him as a member of their 2021/22 Premier League squad.
And as the PSL transfer window period is set to close on August 31, the player movement musical chairs have moved a notch up while speculation on who is going where reaches overdrive. Back home, while the PSL champions Sundowns are set to meet Kaizer Chiefs in the MTN8 quarter-final match today, both clubs have bolstered their squads for the Premiership season starting next weekend.
Going for a record-extending 12th league title this season, Downs recruited no fewer than six new players to bolster their star-studded squad while releasing others like seasoned 35-year-old wing-back Tebogo Langerman.
No doubt, Masandawana’s biggest catch is Slovakia international striker Pavol Safranko, 26, said to have cost the club R12-million in transfer fees from Sepsi OSK of Romania.
The Buccaneers, on other hand, have made fewer inroads in the market place, so far four players were signed up last month. Last season, Pirates recruited no fewer than 11 players into their fold and it now seems German coach Joseph Zinnbauer is going for a measured approach after bringing on board Goodman Mosele, Monnapule Saleng, Bandile Shandu and Kwanda Mngonyama.
But there is also the pending signing up of 20-year-old Ghanaian marksman Kwame Peprah, currently undergoing observation while training at the club.
The Ghost’s MTN8 opponents Swallows went for the kill as coach Brandon Truter made wholesale changes with no fewer than 10 new players.
Shockingly, Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter released defender Yagan Sasman and midfielder Given Thibedi.
Both now play for Swallows. So, is Amakhosi defender Siphosakhe Ntiya- Ntiya staying at Naturena?
Only time will tell because he will have to fight for the leftback position occupied by Reeve Frosler and new signings duo of Sifiso Hlanti and Sibusiso Mabiliso.
As things stand, the player transfer guessing game and conjectures continue until August 31.
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