Mamelodi Sundowns president Patrice Motsepe said on Monday that the club would be willing to release star player Keagan Dolly should the right offer be presented.Motsepe was speaking at the club’s first media conference for the year where he also outlined a 10-year plan which includes dominating the continent (Caf Champions League) and reaching the final of the Fifa Club World Cup.
“Mamelodi Sundowns will immediately release Keagan Dolly if it receives an offer in terms of the buy-out clause that was agreed between Keagan Dolly and Mamelodi Sundowns and that was upheld in terms of the PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber (DRC) award,” said the club boss in a prepared statement.
Dolly, a key player in Sundowns’ league and Caf Champions League success, has reportedly been linked with a move to either Greek club Olympiakos or French club Montpellier. The reported move stalled following a legal wrangle between the player and the club regarding his buy-out clause.
Additionally, the deal stalled as the offered transfer fee and terms of payment were deemed laughable by the Chloorkop club.
“Mamelodi Sundowns took the Keagan Dolly matter to the PSL DRC so that the truth relating to his contract and the buy-out clause could be revealed, particularly in the light of the lies and the misrepresentations that were being spread in the media.
“We are impressed and proud of Keagan Dolly’s professionalism and commitment to the club and his performance on the field of play despite our disagreement with his agent,” said the club.
The club also said it had initiated discussions over the past 12 months with one of the top European clubs, which is believed to be Premier League club Arsenal, over the purchase of Dolly. They had signed Sibusiso Vilakazi, Yannick Zakri and Thapelo Morena in anticipation of the departure of Dolly and several other stars like Khama Billiat and Leonadro Castro. But there are not concrete offers yet, according to Motsepe.
“We expect as part of our next 10-year plan to release some of our best players to top European clubs but also to develop quality players at our academy and to continue bringing the best South African, African and South American players to the club,” the club said.
Meanwhile, Motsepe also announced that coach Pitso Mosimane had signed a four-year contract extension to his current deal. He added that he would be happy to see Mosimane go and coach in Europe some day.
With Mosimane recently linked to the vacant Bafana Bafana job, Motsepe said he would “do his patriotic duty to release him if requested by Bafana Bafana to do so and with Pitso’s consent”. He also added that there have been no such requests from Safa House to date.
Over the last 18 months Sundowns collected the Telkom Knockout, the Absa Premiership and the Caf Champions League as well as participation in the Fifa Club World Cup. “I was very happy and proud to see the players and technical staff share the R21 million Caf Champions League prize money. Going to Japan and competing in the Fifa Club World Cup was an important experience,” said Motsepe.
