PRETORIA — Mamelodi Sundowns have deferred the registration of wingers Ejike Uzoenyi and Kudakwashe Mahachi, raising the possibility that the club might be saving their foreign spots for new players.
According to the latest player registration released by the PSL yesterday, Uzoenyi and Mahachi are not registered with the League as yet for this season.
Sundowns have so far registered Zimbabwean striker Cuthbert Malajila, along with new signings Mogakolodi Ngele (Botswana) and Fiston Abdul Razak (Burundi) as their foreign players, leaving two spots open in their allocated five-man foreign quota.
Liberian Anthony Laffor, Ugandan Denis Onyango, Zambian Kennedy Mweene and Zimbabwean Khama Billiat have filed their papers with the PSL as non-foreigners as they hold permanent residency, having all been in South Africa for at least five years.
While Uzoenyi and Mahachi both have at least three and four years respectively remaining on their contracts with Sundowns, still have valid work-permits at the club and are injury-free, their non-registration so far raises questions about if they are genuinely in Pitso Mosimane’s plans.
Mosimane has already been quietly hunting down a foreign central defender and a striker – positions he believes should be given priority in filling up their foreign quota instead of attacking midfielders as they already have plenty of options in that area.
Colombian forward Leonardo Castro has been on trial, while several centre-back options are still being considered.
Last season Uzoenyi started just a single game (plus seven subs) as he battled with injury while also openly expressing his differences with Mosimane at training.
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Mahachi fared better, starting seven games (plus eight subs) and scoring one goal, but he appears uncertain of his future at the club following the arrival of Ngele and Keagan Dolly – both of whom play in a similar role to him and Uzoenyi.
In the meantime, Sundowns still have the Zambian pair of Mukuka Mulenga and Hichani Himoonde stuck at Chloorkop as they still have running contracts with the club.
Mulenga might possibly return to Bloemfontein Celtic where he spent the past season on loan. — online
