Michaelson Ntokozo Gumede

By Ntokozo Gumede

Journalist


Out of favour midfielder leads exodus at Sundowns 

Sammy Seabi has been sent out on a season-long loan to newly promoted top-flight side Swallows FC after failing to break into Mamelodi Sundowns starting line up. Seabi joined Downs with very little expectation after he was signed from Polokwane City at the end of the 2018/19 season.


Then-coach Pitso Mosimane suggested that Seabi was meant to be cover in midfield as most of his central midfielders were often out injured, as the likes of Lucky Mohomi, Rivaldo Coetzee and Oupa Manyisa – who has since joined Venda-based side Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila – were in the casualty room most of the time, while Andile Jali was not a regular started at the club.
Seabi has featured very little this past season at the club but is confident that he has a future with Sundowns, regardless of being sent out on loan now.
Other players who are expected to be shown the exit door at Chloorkop, either permanently or via loan deals, are Lucky Mohomi, who did not kick a ball the whole of last season, and goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse.
Following the signing of Ricardo Goss from the defunct Bidvest Wits, Pieterse is unlikely to feature for Downs, as Denis Onyango is expected to continue as Sundowns’ number one goalkeeper, while veteran Kennedy Mweene competes for a place on the bench against Goss.
Attacking wizard Jose Ali Meza is understood to be locked in negotiations with the club as his deal came an end at the end of the season. The Venezuelan international is keen to stay on with Downs but is concerned over the lack of game time, although Sundowns did use him a lot in the tail end of the previous campaign. An announcement about his future is imminent.

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