Lukhubeni still tied to Downs on long-term deal
Mamelodi Sundowns still hold the fate of defender Nicholas Lukhubeni in their hands, and the Siya crew has been told this could be the case for at least another four years because of the nature of his contract.
The 26-year-old was promoted to the Downs senior team at the time coach Pitso Mosimane was still at the club and looked to be the future as ‘Jingles’ attempted to trim the average age by introducing academy players to the squad.
But after his exit, the young right back was loaned out to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila for the 2020/21 season, where he did well.
He returned to Downs briefly to be assessed, but was immediately sent to another club again… this time at newly promoted side Sekhukhune United, where he surprisingly only spent six months before moving to Maritzburg United.
Lukhubeni remained with the Team of Choice for another year on loan from Downs, but then surfaced at Swallows FC in August this year as one of the unexpected signings by the Dube Birds.
Although this has been good for him to get game time, Soccer Laduma has gathered through sources that this means the long-term contract he signed at Sundowns when he was promoted to the senior team hasn’t reduced in years.
According to information provided to the Siya crew, Downs do not write off the season a player spends on loan, and Lukhubeni, who is believed to have put pen to paper on a five-year deal in 2020, is still their player for that duration.
The only way to cut ties, insiders have explained, is to request a contract termination…but those talks have not been successful, hence the defender went on loan again.
His future will then be up for discussion at the end of the season in June.