Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt has predicted Mamelodi Sundowns will dominate the next transfer window with their financial muscle, while saying it could be doom and gloom for Kaizer Chiefs, who have been banned from registering players for two transfer windows.
Low activity is expected when the transfer window opens as some Premier Soccer League (PSL) clubs say they have started feeling the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, which has seen certain teams proposing wage cuts for their players.
But Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has already hinted at adding more South American talent into his squad for next season.
This has left Hunt forecasting contrasting fortunes between Sundowns and Chiefs, who were slapped with a transfer ban by Fifa for illegally signing Madagascar international Andriamirado ‘Dax’ Andrianarimanana from Fosa Juniors in 2018.
Chiefs’ intention to appeal the sanctions face uncertainty as the coronavirus outbreak has forced a delay in the handling of cases at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“I don’t know what will happen with Kaizer Chiefs. The ban has to come into effect. They aren’t going to be able to sign players,” Hunt was quoted as saying by IOL.
“Sundowns, obviously, they can buy the market. They can buy anybody. I don’t think there will be a lot of foreign players coming into the country.
“Clubs won’t release their players easily. If that player is worth R2 million and you pay R8 million, then they will let him go. Who’s going to pay R10 million for a player? There’s only one team [Sundowns] that can do that.”
Downs have already raided the Chiefs camp, agreeing to a pre-contract with George Maluleka to bring the midfielder to Chloorkop next season.
Turning to his Bidvest Wits, Hunt says they are not spared of the economic crisis as he needs to rearrange his squad which has “a little bit of mileage on it.”
He said he is going to consider cheaper and affordable options to beef up his team.
“Big problem, big problem [transfer window]. It is very difficult for a club like us to operate in the local market,” said Hunt.
“We have to try and get one or two foreigners in, which doesn’t always work out. You are not going to get foreign players.
“They will not be allowed to come in easily. We are going to struggle for permits.
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“It will be a problem to get foreign players. We have to look within and look at our squad.
“The age of our team is not too bad. It is not too old. It is not an ageing team. It’s got a little bit of mileage on it, a year or two.
“We will look at our young players. That’s pretty much it.”
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