Sowetan

Who will blink first as Tau pushes for transfer

Star skips Sundowns camp over Brighton offer

- By Mahlatse Mphahlele

Want-away Mamelodi Sundowns star Percy Tau has still not reported for duty for the club’s pre-season camp at the Royal Marang Hotel in Rustenburg and the Absa premiershi­p champions do not know his whereabout­s.

Tau has continued to stay away in defiance of his employers in a seeming attempt to force the Sundowns management to keep their word and accept a transfer bid from English Premiershi­p side Brighton & Hove Albion.

The PSL Footballer of the Season’s continued absence from camp has seriously strained relations with the club as the Brazilians returned to training on Sunday to begin preparatio­ns for the restart of the CAF Champions League and the domestic season.

Asked if Sundowns would take action against Tau after failing to go to work for four days‚ Sundowns spokespers­on Thulani Thuswa said yesterday afternoon that the club had decided against making public comments about the player.

Attempts to get comment from Tau’s agent Mmatsatsi Sefalafala were unsuccessf­ul and she did not answer repeated calls to her cellphone.

Tau is apparently unhappy that Sundowns did not accept the Brighton & Hove Albion offer for his services and has elected to stay away from work rather than join his team-mates in Rustenburg.

His stayaway comes as Downs announced that they had completed the signing of Venezuelan Jose Ali Meza.

Meanwhile, news emerged that Kaizer Chiefs did not follow proper procedure to sign Madagascar star Andriamira­do Andrianari­manana, according to a statement released by the attacking midfielder’s club Fosa Juniors yesterday.

“Following recent speculatio­n in the media in respect of a transfer of Andriamira­do Aro Hasina to Kaizer chiefs of South Africa, we would like to put on record that the latter club has not approached Fosa Juniors FC for a transfer and no transfer has been signed between the two clubs,” reads part of the statement.

“However, we remain open to any serious offers respecting the procedures for the internatio­nal transer of players.”

 ?? / MUZI NTOMBELA/BACKPAGEPI­X ?? Percy Tau has not reported for Downs’ pre-season training camp.
/ MUZI NTOMBELA/BACKPAGEPI­X Percy Tau has not reported for Downs’ pre-season training camp.

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