All Masango’s eggs in the European basket

MANDLA Masango has turned down offers from Orlando Pirates and Bidvest Wits, not just Kaizer Chiefs, a source close to the clubless player has said.

Skillful, goal-scoring and creative winger Masango was one of three players Chiefs announced would not renew contracts with the club on June 2.

Centre-back and captain Tefu Mashamaite and goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune were also released on the back of a league

Divorcing your wife because you believe you’re going to marry Beyonce

and cup double-winning season, amid claims from Amakhosi of exorbitant package demands.

However, it has transpired Masango also turned down the professional, financially secure surrounds of Wits and Chiefs’ rival glamour club Pirates too, sparking concerns from those close to the player on his decision making.

“Mandla turned down offers from Wits and Pirates,” a source close to the player said. “[Wits CEO] Jose Ferreira and [Pirates chairman] [Irvin] Khoza both made exceptionally good offers.

“He put all his eggs in the overseas basket. And there was not much interest from overseas. It’s like divorcing your wife because you believe you’re SELF-BELIEF: Mandla Masango wants to play overseas going to marry Beyonce.”

Masango, 25, had easily his best season for Chiefs, scoring seven league goals in 28 games after years of struggle breaking into the first team.

Khune, meanwhile, is “genuinely confused” over the decision to make on his club future, a source close to him said, especially now Chiefs have offered to reopen negotiations.

Masango and Khune returned to Chiefs training three weeks ago, and were told to go home and consider their futures, Amakhosi football manager Bobby Motaung said at the time.

There has been speculation Khune has lost leverage to negotiate a bigger deal at Mamelodi Sundowns since he left Chiefs. It might also be difficult for the player to return to Naturena as there has been blood spilt in his departure.

Khune’s UK-based agent, Dan Lichman, could not be reached for comment.

In other transfer news SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has said Bongani Khumalo has turned down a US Major League Soccer club to try to find a club in Europe, and is likely to join Matsatsantsa if he is not successful. Khumalo’s five-year contract with Tottenham Hotspur recently ended, and he has been training with SuperSport.

If he does not have anywhere to go . . . we’ll give him a contract

“I would like to sign Bongani. Whether we can agree personal terms is another story. Bongani wants to go to Europe, but he has work-permit issues,” Matthews said. “We have got him here to keep fit, but if he does not have anywhere to go by the end of the transfer window we’ll give him a contract.

“He made us good money in the transfer market when he went to Spurs. He is an honest professional and in a way I hope he does not get a work permit. I am sniffing every day for Bongani, but I understand that if he stays with us it would be a short-term deal.”

Clayton Daniels, who had a year left on his contract with United, and Ronwen Williams (two years) have both signed a year’s extension.