Downs working on Boutouil registration

The Siya crew has been informed that Mamelodi Sundowns are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure they can register Moroccan defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil as a new signing.

The deal to have the player on board is still on, but the challenge for the Tshwane giants has been to get Shalulile registered as a local. The club has begun the process of trying to register the Namibian striker as a local, which would open up the fifth foreign spot for them to have Boutouil as part of the squad.

At the moment, the Brazilians have Shalulile, Marcelo Allende, Abubeker Nassir, Gaston Sirino and Erwin Saavedra registered as their foreigners, which is why they have not been able to announce Boutouil as their new player.

The Moroccan has agreed a three-year contract with Downs, which has an option to be renewed for a further two seasons. All that’s left is for the process of registering Shalulile as a South African to be completed, in order to have the new signing available for selection for the technical team.

The 24-year-old Boutouil is a left-sided centre-back who is seen as a perfect replacement for

Ricardo Nascimento, who left in January to make way for Saavedra in the fifth fo r eig spot in the team.

Sundowns are in a similar situation now, in trying to make room for a foreigner, and management is working to get everything done in time before the transfer window closes on September 22.