Mamelodi Sundowns' reported pursuit of Tanzanian midfielder Feisal Salum Abdalla has hit a snag as Azam FC have rejected their offer, the Siya crew investigates further.
The 26-year-old midfielder, who was also linked to Kaizer Chiefs in the past, is currently under a substantial contract with Tanzanian club, Azam FC which includes a R36 million buyout clause.
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Siya sources close to both Sundowns and Azam have discussed what may be behind the ongoing negotiations.
"Sundowns are really interested in the player. Their scouts and recruiters have been monitoring his progress both for the club and the national team. They have made an offer of between R20 million to R25 million but Azam are looking at R36 million. That's where the delay is," said the Siya source.
"But the way things are going, they will soon agree on a central figure as Azam don't have a problem releasing the player for the right price," the source added.
According to a second insider, the complexity of the negotiations is further compounded by Salum's long-term contract, which is set to expire in June 2028. This contract extension includes a three-year option beyond the initial expiry in June 2025, justifying the high buyout clause set by Azam FC.
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"You know even Kaizer Chiefs were interested in the player and they made inquires but he is still under contract. The initial contract expires in June 2025 but both the club and the player agreed on a three-year option which ends in June 2028 and that's why the club has a buyout clause of $2 million (R36 million) and that's what they are discussing with Sundowns though Sundowns are offering less than that at the moment. But the talks are continuing," the second source stated.
Soccer Laduma attempted to contact Azam FC and Sundowns for comment but no response was received by the time this report was published.
