Downs hierarchy made late call on Erasmus

The Siya crew has it on good authority that the decision by Mamelodi Sundowns to offload Kermit Erasmus on transfer deadline day last week was taken at the eleventh hour, with the technical team only informed long after it was made.

Although it had become clear that the striker, who had signed from Cape Town City for a fee believed to be slightly over R10-million two years ago, was on his way out due to a lack of game-time – it appeared as though he would see out the remainder of his contract given that a few suitors were spooked by his personal terms.

But Orlando Pirates announced his return the morning after the registration window had closed, confirming that Erasmus had put pen to paper on a two-year deal as he rejoined them from Sundowns a free agent.

Now, Soccer Laduma has been informed that Erasmus’ attitude had a lot to do with the Downs hierarchy deciding to terminate his contract and forego inserting a clause that he could not join Pirates or Kaizer Chiefs.

Sundowns have done this before with another forward, Toni Silva, who left the club on condition that he could not sign for a Premier Soccer League rival.

According to sources at Chloorkop and close to Erasmus, the player had been resigned to waiting it out until the end of the season when his contract expires, but a high-ranking club official informed the Siya crew that his body language would not have been good for the dressing room.

Erasmus insisted he wanted to play, so in the end, the

Downs management made a late call to terminate his contract, and there have been suggestions it’s unlikely there was a settlement involved in releasing the player to join the Buccaneers.