Sundowns’ spending total during transfer window

Sundowns are currently the runaway leaders in the DStv Premiership, having dominated the league over the past five years, while they memorably lifted the Caf Champions League in 2016.

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During the recently closed transfer window, Sundowns continued to bolster their squad with the most notable recruitments of Teboho Mokoena, Bradley Ralani and Erwin Saavedra, which came at a time when rivals such as Chiefs and Pirates didn’t make any noticeable squad additions.

The Brazilians secured the signature of Saavedra from Bolivar on a multi-million rand deal (estimated to be around R12.25 million).

According to KickOff, the Tshwane giants also reportedly spent R4 million to secure the services of Ralani, while Mokoena arrived from SuperSport United on a transaction fee of R15 million.

Meanwhile, the signing of Abubeker Nasir Ahmed is said to have come at a price tag of R6 million from Ethiopian Coffee SC, although the 21-year-old has been loaned back to Ethiopia as Sundowns have already exhausted their foreign quota.

This leads to a total that surpasses the R30 million mark on the completion of all transactions, which one again reveals the ambition and financial health of Sundowns.

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Sundowns are now virtually certain to bank R15 million for winning the DStv Premiership, while they’ve already cashed in R8 million for winning the MTN8.

The CAF Champions League offers further opportunity for money-making while they could also strike it rich in the Nedbank Cup if they go all the way.

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Speaking at the media launch for the Nedbank Cup, co-coach Maqoba Mngqithi revealed Sundowns are on a trajectory where they want to be at the same level as powerhouse clubs such as Al Ahly, Wydad Casablanca and Zamalek.

“What many people fail to understand is that when we reinforce the team, it is not because we are looking in the PSL,” Mngqithi explained, as quoted by Sowetan Live.

“We are looking at our competitors and we are still far behind them in terms of the market value of the players that we bring in.

“We are competing with Al Ahly, Wydad and Zamalek and all these teams in terms of their value and what they bring into the game, make us look like underdogs.

“We have to fight in that space and make sure that we take ourselves to a level that we all believe Sundowns are capable of.”

The 50-year-old emphasised that they are not trying to show off every time they make a big signing.

“At times people think when we sign players for a show off,” he said.

“We are trying to prepare a team that we think based on the challenges that we have seen in the Champions League, we have a bigger responsibility to make sure that we have a team that can compete and represent the country in the bigger scale of things.”

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