Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: Allende coy on Downs’ future, transfer updates & more

Latest Mamelodi Sundowns news, in the last 24 hours, including Denis Onyango and Themba Zwane’s stance at Masandawana, Marcelo Allende coy on his future at the club and more.

Zwane & Onyango to Cardoso: We want you to feel free

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has opened up on the roles of veteran stars Themba Zwane and Denis Onyango.

Zwane, 35, and Onyango, 40, remain among the most experienced figures in the Sundowns dressing room, but questions have naturally surrounded how much they will feature as the Brazilians look to maintain their dominance domestically and compete on multiple fronts.

However, Cardoso insists Zwane’s age will not determine his opportunities, pointing instead to what the former Bafana Bafana captain can still offer on the pitch.

“It was him coming to me, not only him, him and Denis [Onyango], they both came to me two weeks ago before the first match of the MTN8 and they said, ‘coach we just want you to feel in peace regarding ourselves’.”

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has opened up on the… pic.twitter.com/jSPenQtOEH

— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) August 17, 2026

“Themba is a very important player for us, he’s important by what he can still do on any pitch, remember the MTN8 match, he entered, picked the ball from the back, made two or three combinations, progressed the ball with other players, combining and giving an assist for the goal,” he said as quoted by iDiski Times.

“So never, Miguel, as a coach, having a Themba in the squad, will look at him just as a number, yes like all the others, but not as a player who cannot play. Come on, age is not that, he’s much more important than that, in the example of his silent leadership.

“In his example of how he commits, what he does on a regular basis, he trains wonderfully everyday. Of course I had a talk to him [about game-time], but he’s so big as a human being it was not me calling him,” the Portuguese coach explained.

“It was him coming to me, not only him, him and Denis [Onyango], they both came to me two weeks ago before the first match of the MTN8 and they said, ‘coach we just want you to feel in peace regarding ourselves’.”

The conversation appears to have been significant for Cardoso, with both players making it clear that they would respect his decisions regardless of their illustrious history at the club.

“‘We want you to feel 100% free to make your choice without worrying about our past’ and I just told them, ‘look guys, I’m just more certain about the level of human beings you are’, because it’s important to have that understanding from their side, obviously,” he added.

Allende opens up about his Sundowns’ future

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Marcelo Allende has remained coy on his future with the club after speculation around his future arose during the off-season.

Allende, 27, has been a key figure for Sundowns since his arrival in 2022 from Montevideo City Torque, when he signed an initial five-year contract with the club.

The emergence of Jayden Adams last season and his desire to break into the Chile national team again brought questions around his future going towards the end of the 2025/26 season.

"Yes, 100% focused here in my last year in the club, I don't speak with everyone, but as I say to you I'm very focused with everything."

Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Marcelo Allende has remained coy on his future with the club after speculation around his future arose during… pic.twitter.com/l1srV4N51y

— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) August 17, 2026

And while it was suggested that Sundowns would be open to listening to offers for the diminutive midfielder, the tragic passing of Adams and the lack of concrete offers, sees the player continuing with Masandawana.

But this hasn’t changed his mindset, with Allende confirming he’s in the right frame of mind to give everything to the club, as he now enters his final year of his contract.

“Yes, 100% focused here in my last year in the club, I don’t speak with everyone, but as I say to you I’m very focused with everything,” responded to the media.

“If I need to play I will always give my 100%, if not, also I support the team. I think it’s that most important to always to get results [as a team] and bring good things to the club.”

Sundowns’ dominance over?

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Roger Feutmba has weighed in on the changing landscape of the Betway Premiership, detailing why his former club faces an uphill battle to assert their usual total control over the league.

“All I can say is that most of the time, if teams are dominating, it means others are struggling to give them that competition. Some teams do things differently from other teams,” Feutmba told FARPost. 

“Last season was a different story because Pirates came to the party. Now they have started the season well, and Pirates can lose to any team but will always come back, from the way I see it.

Former Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Roger Feutmba has weighed in on the changing landscape of the Betway Premiership, detailing why his former club faces an uphill battle to assert their usual total control over the league.#FARPosthttps://t.co/B1JaavPUN2

— FARPost (@FARPostZA) August 17, 2026

“The level we have seen is good for football, and I’m happy with what I saw. If you win all the time, it looks like there is no competition. Last season we saw the competition is there, so it won’t be easy for Sundowns. It won’t be different from last season. 

“But Sundowns have quality players, and they are organised and will compete. All they need to do is just manage what they have to gain an advantage. But it’s going to be tough for Sundowns.”

While the league race is yet to take shape, with most teams still fancying their chances of finishing up the table, Feutmba is not ruling out stunners in the campaign. 

“Of course there could be surprises. Whatever we predict now may not always be correct, but big teams can be surprised. Sekhukhune United can create a surprise. Same as TS Galaxy, Marumo Gallants; even they don’t have the same quality as Sundowns, Pirates and Chiefs,” added the 1990 FIFA World Cup player with Cameroon. 

Feutmba is also not ruling out Chiefs from waging a serious fight for the Betway Premiership title after the Soweto giants finished third last season. Amakhosi are bidding for a first league title since being crowned the 2014/15 champions.

“Of course Chiefs have to shake things up. We can’t talk South African football without mentioning Chiefs in terms of match attendance, organisation or even the type of football,” Feutmba went on. 

“They just have to work to be where they were before, and they are capable of doing that if you look at what they did last season. They are a big team and need to be respected, especially for their contribution to SA football.”