Michaelson Ntokozo Gumede

By Ntokozo Gumede

Journalist


Matsatsantsa ready to let go of Mokoena next season

'We know when to let go of our players and make dollars off them, ' said club CEO Stan Matthews


If the South African transfer market was transparent much like leagues abroad, SuperSport United’s Teboho Mokoena’s price tag would rank among the highest in the entire domestic league, all the more reason his name always takes prominence whenever the transfer market comes around. 

READ ALSO: Reasons behind ex-Sundowns midfielder’s early retirement from football?

Matsatsantsa A Pitori, who are in action against Baroka FC in the league on Saturday, have done their best to hold on to the Bafana Bafana international but United chief executive officer, Stanley Matthews says it is about time to let go of the 24-year-old.

Mokoena has been linked with moves to Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns in the most recent transfer window, but Matthews, not in so many words, has suggested that Mokoena is most likely to leave SuperSport at the end of the season.

“We know when to let go of our players and make dollars off them. I think a player like Teboho, if you ask me will he be at the club next year, I don’t think so,” said Matthews, in conversation with the South African Football Journalists association.

“He, myself and the chairman, Khulu Sibiya had a chat and we have paved a way on how we see him leaving the club because he has a number of options sitting in front of him at the moment. We are going to be with him every step of the way in making sure that when he leaves the club it will be at a time that is good for us,” Matthews added.

The Pretoria side, however, has not had their head sunk deep in the market, having only brought in Buhle Mkhwanazi this season. Matthews says the reason is that players are often overpriced and United are not willing to dig deep into their pockets – instead, they invest a lot in their academy players.

“We have sold players to Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Sundowns for the last 20 years and that’s part and parcel of the game. We know when it is time to let certain players go.

We are not going to see dramatic movements in the market because the market is really crazy and there are only a couple of clubs that can play in that space – we are not one of them and we don’t want to be one of them.” 

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