Ajax dump most expensive SA flop

NIGERIAN international Ejike Uzoenyi has left Ajax Cape Town to end almost four years of being the most expensive flop in the South African game.

Uzoenyi departs the Premier Soccer League having made just five starts in four seasons despite arriving in South Africa for the biggest transfer fee paid by a South African club and pocketing the largest salary anyone in the PSL has ever earned.

The 25-year-old winger bounced into local consciousness at the African Nations Championships in Cape Town in early 2014 and made a strong impression.

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane chased after him with much determination.

Sundowns paid more than R12-million to Enugu Rangers for the player‚ who had already had a loan spell in France’s Ligue 1 as a teenager and who looked to be a marquee signing for the PSL.

He arrived at Sundowns fresh from participating at the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil with the Super Eagles.

His gross salary was R12-million a year‚ working out at take-home-pay of almost R670 000 monthly – the most any player has ever earned in South Africa.

It was a coup for his agent Mohamed Lawal with Sundowns hoping they might be able to recoup their investment in future with a big money transfer to Europe.

Uzoenyi debuted for Sundowns against Bidvest Wits in October 2014‚ after delays in securing a work permit‚ but that was one of only two starts he made for the Brazilians as he failed to impress.

So much so that the next season (2015-16) Sundowns failed to register him as they had too many foreigners‚ but kept paying him his enormous salary as he sat around doing nothing.

The same happened again for the third year of his contract, but after six months he negotiated a lucrative settlement.

He joined Wits at the start of last year but despite impressing in trials and being described by Gavin Hunt as sensational in training‚ he only made two starts with two more substitute appearances.

Wits paid him just a fraction of what he had earned at Sundowns‚ offering the chance for a better contract if he impressed and delivered.

But at the end of their last‚ championship-winning season‚ Wits did not take up an option to extend his contract and Uzoenyi joined Ajax instead.

He is now back in the wilderness after just six months‚ starting just one game for Ajax, who said Uzoenyi did not show enough determination. –