AmaZulu are working around the clock to terminate the contracts of Mswati Mavuso and Mxolisi Kunene, who have not been part of Usuthu training sessions or matches.
According to AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu, both players have been deemed surplus to requirements by new coach Pablo Franco Martin.
Mavuso, 22, a defensive midfielder and former SA U17 international, was signed on a free transfer with the view to add depth to the squad going into the remaining months of the 2022/23 season, Usuthu said then in the statement in May.
The Nelspruit-born player, who previously played for Stellenbosch FC and Mbombela United, was signed on a two-year deal and his style of play was likened to that of Ghanaian legend Michael Essien. However, there hasn’t been any Essien show with no appearance as yet.
Meanwhile, Kunene joined AmaZulu ahead of the 2021/22 season and Usuthu were already pondering to terminate his contract as way back as in December 2021, after he arrived in the off-season with a long-term injury from Maritzburg United.
Kunene tore three things in his knee – cartilage, meniscus and medial collateral ligament (MCL) – which is the reason why he was out for a long time, but played before that season ended.
“You don’t see Kunene for the same reason and you don’t see Mswati for the same reason, as they are not part of the coach’s plans,” Zungu told iDiski Times.
“We have made an offer to settle [since they are left with one-year deals] to leave the team.
“They haven’t found teams to go to, so they are clinging on Usuthu.”
Zungu also cleared the confusion around Siphesihle Maduna, who coach Martin seemingly doesn’t value.
Martin said Maduna is no longer part of the club after they drew with Richards Bay over the weekend, but Zungu stated that his swap deal to Moroka Swallows fell through.
“Maduna is still our player and he is registered as our player. As to who is in the coach’s plan, it is really irrespective whether that person is our player or not our player,” said the club’s president.
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“He just has to work hard to impress the coach to have him in his plans but he’s not in our plans. He was considered to be in the transaction that involved Moroka Swallows where they wanted him and we said, ‘no, we want Tlakusani Mthethwa in the exchange, we don’t want money as such’.
“They were happy with that but then they changed their minds and you can see Mthethwa is part of Steve Komphela’s plans. So that transaction has fallen by the wayside.
“As you couldn’t see him train with the team, it was largely because he was potentially in transit.”
