What the Siya crew has been told…

Following his remarkable progress in the last two seasons where he has been playing regularly and achieving success with Mamelodi Sundowns, the possibility of leaving for greener pastures seems an appealing prospect to Khuliso Mudau, according to sources.

With interest being shown from Burnley, the 28-year-old is said to be willing to go and further his career among some of the top players the world of football has to offer, a move that would also mean securing his future with the financial rewards it would bring.

“‘Sailor’ (Mudau) is being monitored by (Vincent) Kompany for Burnley, and that’s huge. He is one of the players that have caught his attention after the disappointing start in the Premier League for his team. The player is aware of the interest, and it is appealing to him, even though he is happy at Sundowns and has been doing well in the PSL and in African competitions,” noted a source.

“This is a focused player who would like to do well for himself to secure his future. For him, it has always been about football since an early age and playing as an amateur. He always believed that he would make a living out of the game and therefore he wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity to go and make more money in Europe,” the source added.

According to another source, Mudau is understood to be earning between R200 000 and R400 000 at the inaugural African Football League champions and isn’t desperate, although he could be tempted by the possibility of doubling that in the Premier League.

Having recently sold Cassius Mailula to Major League Soccer club Toronto in a multimillion-rand deal, it is expected that the Tshwane giants would be open to allowing the player to move.

“Sundowns won’t have too much of a problem in allowing the player to move, the way I understand it. They are a club that is always having a plan and they are not strangers to signing quality players, and I don’t think there would be a problem in replacing Sailor if he was to leave. But they will want to make a lot of money out of it and a club that’s interested in the player will have to be prepared to pay,” the second source explained.

“The boy is under contract, and he is getting paid good money, and that’s between R200 000 and R400 000 per month – I won’t disclose the exact figure. In South Africa, that’s a lot of money, but if you were to compare that with what he would be getting in England, that’s a small portion. He is not even the highest-paid player at Sundowns.

How much do you think Themba (Zwane) is getting? That’s just an example that I’m trying to give you to make you understand why a European move would benefit Sailor financially at his age. Themba isn’t the only one that is earning more than him and that’s the nature of football, these things happen,” the source went on.

The likelihood of Downs improving the 28-year-old’s deal isn’t being ruled out, though a priority for the player would be to move to Europe.

“Sundowns are the player’s employers, and they would have to decide. If they say they want him to stay, they will have to offer him an improved contract. A player of Khuliso’s quality, who’s been able to market himself the way he’s done, deserves to get paid anything upwards of R500 000. R500 000 to R800 000, around there,” concluded the informant.