Mamelodi Sundowns have moved quickly to secure the futures of two young players who could be mega stars at Chloorkop in the coming years. The Siya crew has it on good authority that midfielders Thando Buthelezi and Ntando Nkosi have been upgraded with five-year deals to ward off any potential interest – for now – on the academy graduates.
The club promoted the duo last season and coach Rulani Mokwena has been raving about their progress since they joined the first team and subsequently made a few cameo appearances.
With the reshuffling of the development structures at the side this month following the arrival of Paulo Cardoso as the Head of Academy as well as the appointment of Sinethemba Badela as the DStv Diski Challenge team coach, there are a lot of moving parts under the leadership of sporting director Flemming Berg. Soccer Laduma reported last year that it was the Danish-born administrator who pushed for striker Cassius Mailula to be introduced into the senior side early during the 2022/23 season.
The Bafana Bafana international has now been sold to Toronto FC in the USA's Major League Soccer for a reported R30 million figure. Buthelezi, 20, has not yet featured this season, while Nkosi, 21, has had a run in the DStv Premiership win over Richards Bay FC as well as being an unused substitute in the Polokwane City victory prior to the FIFA break.
Siya sources have indicated that the contracts could also have added options that go beyond the five-year deals signed.
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