Maritzburg United in the process of releasing Obada and Diouf

MARITZBURG United are prepared to sell right winger Felix Obada to Moroka Swallows for R2 million and are also willing to release top-rated central defender Mor Diouf for even more money to any interested party.

The “Team of Choice” have allowed Swallows to talk to Obada, 25, about a possible move to Soweto, while Pretoria rich boys Mamelodi Sundowns were one of the first clubs to express an interest in 24-year-old Diouf, according to Maritzburg chairman Farook Kadodia.

Both foreign players have been with the side from the KwaZulu-Natal capital for three seasons and because they only have a season left on their contracts, it is actually in Maritzburg’s interest to sell them now or risk losing them for free next June.

Obada was signed as a free agent from Thanda Royal Zulu while Kadodia’s side paid R1m for Diouf.

“The way we see it, we are entitled to make a profit on both players because we helped develop them and expose them in the Premier Soccer League,” said Kadodia, whose board of directors are also still dealing with a potential move to Port Elizabeth.

“If both players do go, then we will use the money to bring in other players, as we have a limited budget. We are also willing to do swap deals for Diyo Sibisi and Prince Olomu.”

The latter two under-per- formed this past season and Maritzburg may not get a good transfer fee for them, hence the talk of swaps.

The club would be interested in getting Mario Booysen from SuperSport as a potential replacement for Diouf, while it also remains to be seen how long playmaker Kurt Lentjies stays at the unsponsored club whose management have to box clever with whatever money does come their way.

Kadodia also revealed they would be open to selling a part of the club to any investors who would want to relocate it to Durban, instead of them having to move lock, stock and barrel to Port Elizabeth.

He said he believed the club was valued at R60 million.

“We would honestly rather come to Durban than move to Port Elizabeth, but the terms would have to be right,” he said. “As things stand, we have not been able to secure help from local politicians in our bid to stay in Pietermaritzburg, so we would definitely be willing to talk to people about possibly coming to Durban and possibly being based at Chatsworth Stadium.”