Mamelodi Sundowns official defends ‘obsession’ with South American players

A Mamelodi Sundowns official has opened up over why the club has been signing many South American players.

Sundowns have been signing South American players down the years and currently have four on their books in Matias Esquivel (Argentina), Arthur Sales (Brazil), Marcelo Allende (Chile) and new signing Brayan Leon from Colombia.

The club and, particularly Sporting Director Flemming Berg, have been criticised for their tendency to splash big money on foreign imports from South America but club ambassador and spokesperson Tiyani Mabunda has defended the decision.

Sundowns official on why South Americans are key

Speaking to Andile Ncube on Sports Night Amplified, Mabunda said it is necessary for the Brazilians to cast their net wide as they are looking to broaden their profile as a global brand and also want to play an exciting style of football that fits their nickname.

Mabunda says they can only do that with flair players who are not easily found in South Africa.

“The recruitment system that has been established at Sundowns came when we had a vision of turning the club into a global brand and understand different dimensions of football played in Europe,” said Mabunda.

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“So we trying to find the balance in whereby we have enough players to compete continentally and players who bring different dimensions and element of European football or South American football then we blend it together because Mamelodi Sundowns has been [known as the Brazilians, so we need to live up to that name] South American feeling.”

“The players from Europe and South America do bring an impact in how we play, because we need to be fair enough to say the kind of football we want to play, the dimension and level in which Sundowns wants to see itself, at a global stage, as a global brand, we also need players that are able to compete at a technical and tactical level in football,” he further said.

Sundowns have spent a huge chunk of their transfer budget on foreign imports with Leon the latest to arrive on big money, having been signed in a deal worth $3.5 million (R55.8 million) last month.