Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena has given an update on Mamelodi Sundowns’ foreign spots after striker Pavol Šafranko was released.
The reigning DStv Premiership champions have announced the departure of Šafranko on Thursday, with the Slovakia international freeing up one of the club’s foreign spots.
New signings Abubeker Nassir and Marcelo Allende have replaced Šafranko and Divine Lunga, who joined Golden Arrows, on Downs’ foreigners list but there is still Moroccan defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil, who arrived at the club this week, as reported by iDiski Times.
However, with Nassir, Allende, Erwin Saavedra, Gaston Sirino and Peter Shalulile currently filling the five foreign spots, Mokwena has played down talks about a ‘conundrum’.
“I think it’s solving itself at the moment and the club is again working around the clock,” he told reporters.
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“As I said we [as coaches] are working with what’s available to us. What’s available for us now is Marcelo Allende, and then we welcome him in and then we see how best we can utilise him within in the squad.
“At this moment in time, Saavedra is registered, Peter is registered and you see him on the pitch. Nassir is registered because you’ve also seen him on the pitch.
“That is at this point in time the four foreigners, so we are still within the legalities of the league. No conundrum, no issues there at all.”
With Mokwena initially not mentioning Sirino, and in the absence of an official statement on Boutouil, the Downs co-coach was asked to clarify how many foreigners the club currently have in their ranks.
“We have the four that I’ve just told, that we have registered,” Mokwena added.
“Peter is registered as a foreigner, he is illegible for the PRP, but he’s registered as a foreigner until we are granted the PRP by Home Affairs.
“It might have been done, maybe a few days before but I know the club is working around the clock to make sure that that happens.
“Then you’ve got Gaston, you’ve got Nassir, you’ve got Saavedra, you’ve got Marcelo Allende. As far as I know it’s four, but we are working around the clock with Peter to free up a space for us.”
If Shalulile would indeed get his permanent residence permit (PRP), for which he qualifies after living more than five years in the country, it would free up the space to register Boutouil as fifth foreign player.
Official: Downs Announce Šafranko Exit
