AmaZulu put R14m price tag on Bongi Ntuli

AmaZulu would only entertain an offer of R14m for their talisman Bongi Ntuli.

This was revealed by the club’s manager Lunga Sokhela after it emerged that Ntuli, who finished the just-concluded season as Usuthu’s top goalscorer with 13 goals, had handed in a transfer request. Ntuli missed the Premiership Golden Boot by three goals as it was shared by Highlands Park’s Peter Shalulile and Gabadinho Mhango of Orlando Pirates with 16 goals each.

“No formal request was sent to me and if it had to come, it must come with an offer to purchase of no less than R14m, excluding VAT, from a club [that is interested]. Otherwise the matter is closed and the player has two years [left] on his contract,” Sokhela answered Sowetan’s questions via an SMS yesterday.

Sokhela also said they were approached by two agents who told them SuperSport United were interested in Ntuli.

The striker from Caro Ridge near Pietermaritzburg has scored 29 goals from 72 games for AmaZulu, having first joined on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns in 2015 (he spent three years at the now defunct Platinum Stars on loan, before joining Usuthu for a second spell in 2018).

“We were approached by two agents a few months ago about SuperSport’s interest. We told them that the offer was too little,” said the Usuthu boss, without giving more details about the identities of the agents and the amount tabled. Via a statement published on their official website, Sokhela emphasised that Ntuli was happy at the Durban-based outfit. “Ntuli is committed to his contract with AmaZulu and that’s that.”

When Sowetan contacted him, Ntuli begged to be called again after an hour before his phone was switched off. It’s widely believed that even Orlando Pirates have earmarked the 29-year-old. Pirates senior administrator Floyd Mbele could not be reached for comment.

No formal request was sent to me and if it had to come, it must come with an offer to purchase of no less than R14m, excluding VAT