What are the facts?

Over the last three seasons, the Winelands-based side have lost the likes of Kwinika, Mthethwa, Du Preez and Mendieta to Chiefs and Sundowns respectively. Meanwhile, Olwethu Makhanya was sold to Philadelphia Union in the MLS.

For those players, the club, as reported by this publication, accumulated over R43 million in transfer fees!

Du Preez, at the time of his transfer, was the club’s talisman and go-to man for goals. However, Stellies managed to rake in more than R10 million in transfer fees from the Naturena-based club.

Mendieta was the heartbeat of everything positive from a Stellenbosch perspective, embodying the passion and zeal shown by the young team. The transfer of the Argentine came as a surprise. However, his was great business considering that he was entering the last year of his contract with the club.

His release clause, which was in the region of R12 million, was activated by the Tshwane giants.

The Steve Barker-led side pulled off yet another transfer masterstroke with the sale of Sibongiseni ‘Ox’ Mthethwa to the Village. Siya sources have indicated that the Soweto giants triggered his release clause, which was in the region of R10 million.

Makhanya, who was on the wanted list of Downs, was sold for a transfer fee of around R10 million!

More impressive from Stellies was the contingency plan in place for the outgoing players. For Du Preez, the likes of Titus and the return of Rayners filled the void, while Van Rooyen, who played as a winger, filled the right-back berth in place of Kwinika. Adams, who is currently in Ivory Coast on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Bafana Bafana due to his excellent form, hasn’t put a foot wrong since being entrusted with the responsibility of filling Mendieta’s void, while Genino Palace, who was recruited from Maritzburg United, has been a shoo-in replacing Mthethwa.

The Western Cape side has been heavily reliant on the six players who have piqued the interest of the Gauteng teams, yet history has taught us that the club appear to think three steps ahead, especially when it comes to losing their best players.

Coach Barker, late last year, also revealed the club’s plans to eventually cease from selling their best players.

“We create opportunity, we don’t buy it. We are starting to see the rewards of investing in young players and giving young players an opportunity. I think we are laying a really good foundation, and it can be seen with players who have gone, but we still have an ability to be competitive. There is now a core group of players that the club needs to keep if we want to be successful. Players like Jayden Adams and Titus. Hopefully they are committed to the club and want to be here for a long-term as they’ve shown by signing long contracts.

“If we show we can win trophies and we show we can compete at the top end of the table, then there’s no reason for players to want to leave. Why would you want to go to a bigger club that is not challenging and winning things? So, hopefully by being successful and doing what we are doing, this is where players would want to be. It’s important we keep our core of players who have come through the ranks,” he told journalists.