Sundowns Transfer News: Cardoso reveals deadline day plans

Mamelodi Sundowns have struggled, by their standards, for consistency in the 2025/26 campaign across all competitions.

With the transfer window set to be closed on Monday, coach Miguel Cardoso has explained the need to strengthen his squad. The defending Premier Soccer League champions have so far signed Fawaaz Basadien (Stellenbosch FC) and Katlego Ntsabeleng (Dallas FC, Loan).

Masandawana have lost Sipho Mbule (released), Rivaldo Coetzee (released), Lucas Suarez (end of loan), Lebohang Maboe (released), Sanele Shabalala (released), Sifiso Ngobeni (released), Kobamelo Kodisang (AVS Futebol, Portugal – Loan), Thabang Sibanyoni (Magesi FC), Neo Maema (released), Thembikosi Lorch (Wydad AC, Morocco), Matias Esquivel (AE Kifisias, Greece – Loan), Rushine De Reuck (Simba SC, Tanzania), and Lucas Ribeiro (CyD Leonesa, Spain).

The Portuguese tactician, however, insists he will not sign players for the sake of it; they have been linked with Brazilian attacker Matheusinho as well as TS Galaxy defender Khulumani Ndamane.

We have a lot of faith in our players, but…

“I expect so, it’s clear the team needs extra energy in the front, extra quality, we lost important resources from last year, it’s only one name, but his name has a lot of impact on the team, and it’s clear that we’re still trying to find the right connections, to develop collectively, the capacity to arrive there,” the former Esperance coach told the media.

“We have a lot of belief in our players, but some of them are very young and cannot cope with the responsibilities of carrying a team like Mamelodi Sundowns that needs to win every match. Obviously, it’s essential that we can achieve results. If we had scored a goal [on Wednesday] and kept moving forward, it gives opportunities to the young players to develop.

“Or to the new players, but we’re dependent now on the [options] we have and trying to be creative because we trust the players and believe we have all the conditions to continue to win, but we need to know that the teams in the PSL have reinforced a lot and the competition is very hard.

“If we can find the right players, of course, we will move [for them], to become stronger, Champions League is approaching, and in the group stages, the level rises, and we need to be up to the level, of course,” Cardoso concluded.