Rivaldo’s agent out on a mission to end Ajax saga

RIVALDO Coetzee’s manager, Mike Makaab of ProSport International, is set to meet Ajax Cape Town boss Ari Efstathiou to try and resolve the on-going saga with the Bafana Bafana defender.

Coetze, has failed to report to the Ajax camp since the Urban Warriors began their pre-season preparations.

The young Bafana defender has been linked with a move elsewhere, with Sundowns said to be leading the race to capture the 20-year-old’s signature.

“Ari has been overseas. This week he is coming back and we have a planned meeting with him, where we will try and sort out this issue. It is an open secret that the player is not happy. A lot of good offers have been refused. These offers include overseas teams that have shown interest. That’s why the player is not training with the club,” Maakab explained.

Coetzee is still left with another two seasons on his contract with Ajax and was honoured last season as the club’s best player at their awards.

“There are offers for Rivaldo, that I can confirm. I believe we should try and find an amicable solution to this matter,” Maakab elaborated. There’s been rumours that Sundowns are behind Coetzee’s absence, the Brazilians accused of having influenced him to stay away from the Ajax camp. It is an accusation Makaab furiously denied. “I can categorically state that is absolutely not true,” Makaab said. Meanwhile, a source revealed to the The Star that Sundowns are serious about acquiring Coetzee. “(Sundowns) have presented an offer to Ajax but the club wants R30 million. That is ridiculous. As much as Sundowns are interested in a player, they are not willing to pay that amount of money. That is crazy.”

Sundowns’ denied any interested in Coetzee.

“We are not shocked that people are linking us to Rivaldo. He is a good player but we’ve never come out and said we want to sign him ... People always link us with certain players so that they can increase their value. That is not new. So, it is not true that we have told Rivaldo to stay away ... If we need him, we will consult with Ajax, not with the player. At Sundowns we do things professionally and we will never use such tactics to poach a player,” Sundowns spokesperson, Thulani Thuswa, explained.

Attempts to get in touch with Efstathiou proved fruitless as his phone rang unanswered.