Masango moves to SuperSport on loan

Stars switch to new fields of play

A SUPERSPORT United official was at the Premier Soccer League offices yesterday evening to register Mandla Masango on loan from Danish side Randers FC in the big final signing as the January transfer window came to a close.

Barring a major surprise late signing before the official close at midnight Masango’s acquisition by SuperSport and Orlando Pirates’ signing on loan of Dove Wome from Matsatsantsa were the headline purchases as the window shut yesterday.

Maritzburg United signed leftback Keorapetse Molete from Ajax Cape Town. — TMG club since leaving Crystal Palace at the end of last season. But he skippered Togo at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Basaksehir are proving a worthy rival to the traditional dominant Istanbul trio of Galatasaray, Besiktas and Fenerbahce and have led the Turkish Super Lig for much of this season.

After the latest round of games, they are now in second place, two points behind leaders Besiktas, and remain in contention for a first ever Super Lig title. — AFP

Besiktas said in a statement that the deal agreed with the player and Chinese club was a “temporary transfer” and adding no payment was involved.

“Welcome back Demba Ba!” the Istanbul club wrote on its Twitter account. His contract runs until May 31.

Ba was a standout performer for Besiktas in the 2014-15 season, and a favourite with the club’s famously impassioned fans.

He signed for Shanghai Shenhua in June 2015 to the disappointment of many Besiktas fans but was replaced by German international Mario Gomez, who was the league top scorer in Besiktas’ title-winning 2015-16 season.

With Gomez now departed, league leaders Besiktas are in need of a reliable hitman in front of goal to retain the title.

Ba has not played since suffering a broken leg while playing in China in July 2016 but has been able to recover after successful surgery.

Before first joining Besiktas in 2014, Ba enjoyed fruitful stints with West Ham, Newcastle and Chelsea.

He is remembered for his goal for Chelsea against Liverpool at the season end in 2014, helped by a notorious slip by Steven Gerrard that effectively cost Liverpool the title.

There was talk that Ba could reunite with his former Besiktas boss Slaven Bilic at West Ham in the Premier League but in the end he opted for the Turkish club. — AFP