Sundowns' foreign quota conundrum following latest additions
The addition of Brazilian winger Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Argentine midfielder Junior Mendieta has created yet another foreign quota concuncdrum at Mamelodi Sundowns.
Four players who were registered as foreigners as at the end of last season were Marcelo Allende (Chilean), Erwin Saavedra (Bolivian), Abdelmounaim Boutouil (Morocco), and Abubeker Ahmed Nasir (Ethiopia).
Mendieta’s big-money deal at Sundowns
This means one spot remains open, with the club having already added Costa and Mendieta meaning the club will likely be offloadin one foreign player.
As it stands, it appears Saavedra will be sacrificed for the club to meet the minimum of five players registered as foreigners.
Alternatively, Ribeiro could immediately acquire his permanent residence on financial independence grounds like what happened with Alje Schut in 2012.
This option comes with having a net worth of R12 million and payment of R120 000.
Ribeiro’s transfer worth stands in the region of R12 million.
Sundowns also have Zimbabwean left-back Divine Lunga back from his loan at Golden Arrows and Nigerian forward Etiosa Ighodaro who has been on loan at Chippa United.
Lunga is eligible for SA permanent residence having met the five-year requirement that qualifies him to apply.
Ugandan keeper Ismail Watenga was away on loan at Marumo Gallants last season and there is no clarity over his future.
Sundowns have another five localised players in their books.
Uruguayan midfielder Gaston Sirino, Zambian keeper Kennedy Mweene, Kenyan defender Brian Mandela Onyango, Ugandan goalkeeper Denis Onyango, and Namibian forward Peter Taanyanda Shalulile.
With the options available for Sundowns, they could have as many as eleven foreign-born players in their
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