By Michael Madyira
Mamelodi Sundowns have struggled to achieve good results from some South American players they have signed in recent seasons.
One example is midfielder Matías Esquivel, who was recently loaned back to his old Argentine club, CA Talleres.
Esquivel joined Sundowns in January 2024 for a hefty transfer fee of R47-million but only played in the second half of last season before being sent back on loan.
He made 13 appearances, scored two goals and had just one assist.
Esquivel’s difficulties follow another Argentine player, Junior Mendieta, being sold to a small Greek club, Volos FC, after only one season at Sundowns.
Mendieta had joined from Stellenbosch for around R10-million but didn’t impress, scoring only two goals and making no assists in 29 games.
Another South American player who struggled at Sundowns is Erwin Saavedra. He recently returned from a loan spell in Bolivia, his home country.
Since joining Sundowns for R18.5-million in January 2022, Saavedra has played only 10 games and has been dealing with injuries.
These cases might suggest that Sundowns wasted millions on these players, but former Sundowns forward Katlego Mashego thinks differently.
“Sundowns have had a long relationship with South American players,” Mashego told Scrolla.Africa.
“They carefully scout these players, and everyone at Sundowns should be happy with the signings from South America. These are quality players, and they were performing well in their leagues before coming here. I don’t think Sundowns should worry about their spending.”
On the other hand, some South American players, like Brazilian forward Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Chilean midfielder Marcelo Allende, were top performers for Sundowns last season.
New signing Arthur Sales, the Brazilian forward who recently joined from Belgian second-tier side Lommel SK, has yet to show his skills.
Pictured above: Matias Esquivel and Junior Mendieta celebrate with their Mamelodi Sundowns teammates.
Source: Mamelodi Sundowns
