Downs pull out of R6-million deal
Player, agent agree Pitso isn’t keen anymore
Winger Deolin Mekoa was never “desperate” to play for Mamelodi Sundowns, after the club withdrew their interest in the Maritzburg United winger.
The two clubs had agreed terms for a fee believed to be R6-million, but the deal never materialised.
Sundowns went as far as approaching Mekoa’s agent Glyn Binkin to discuss personal terms, raising the player’s hopes of a big move to the African champions.
In turn, the player requested a meeting with coach Pitso Mosimane to try to understand where he would fit in the starstudded Sundowns side, but Binkin confirmed that it never happened after Sundowns lost interest.
“It’s fine, because it is not like the player was desperate to go play for Sundowns,” Binkin told Sowetan yesterday.
“As much as they didn’t want him (in the end), he wasn’t that keen to go to Sundowns.
“The player wanted to meet with Sundowns first to understand where they wanted him to play and that meeting never took place,” said Binkin.
He added that Sundowns simply don’t need him anymore.
“When Sundowns did the deal with Maritzburg, I said
‘it’s fine’. But it is important for the player to know what the coach’s plans are for him.
“If Mekoa was desperate, we would have signed straight away without asking for a meeting,” Binkin added.
Maritzburg boss Farouk Kadodia also confirmed that Sundowns had lost interest.
“Deolin and Sundowns (move) is on ice at the moment. They don’t believe they need the player right now, so there is no deal with them,” he said.
Mekoa, 23, has made steady progress since joining the Team of Choice in 2014.
He’s had a few games for Bafana Bafana and was part of the Under 23 side at the Rio Olympic Games last year.
Attempts to reach Sundowns were unsuccessful.
‘‘ It’s fine, it is not like the player was desperate to go play for Sundowns