Former Mamelodi Sundowns centre-back Johannes “Bricks” Mudau believes the club’s deep pockets have made it almost impossible for other Premier Soccer League teams to compete properly in the transfer market.

Mudau, who also played for Kaizer Chiefs, says Sundowns have set a trend where they can buy almost any player they want, at any price. This forces clubs like Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates to try and match spending levels they simply cannot afford.

His comments come after TS Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi revealed that he turned down a R4 million offer from Kaizer Chiefs for midfielder Seluleko Mahlambi and instead demanded R10 million. The example shows how transfer fees in the PSL have risen sharply.

“I think Sundowns they’ve set a trend where they get anyone they want, at any price, and it becomes difficult for the other teams because they don’t have bigger pockets like Sundowns,” Mudau told KickOff.

He added that the high prices make it harder for players to move to bigger clubs. Selling teams can now demand more money, which blocks opportunities for players who want better careers.

“This makes things not easy for the boys to get a chance to leave their current clubs and go play somewhere bigger. Sundowns has raised the bar pertaining the movement of players,” he said.

Mudau also spoke about how Sundowns keep their dominance. He said the club signs good players and then often leaves them on the bench. Some players get only two or three games before they stop playing regularly.

“What I’ve realised is that, for Sundowns to dominate the league, any good player they take him and put him on the bench. They can play two, three games and end up not playing at all,” Mudau explained.

He compared the current squad to his own time at the club. “How many first team players are there at Sundowns at the moment? When I was there they had 77 who can start at any day in any team in the PSL. It frustrates,” he said.

Mudau’s views highlight the growing gap between Sundowns and the rest of the league. While the club continues to strengthen its squad with big signings, many other PSL teams struggle to keep up in the transfer window. This situation continues to shape the competition for players across South African football.

Source: https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2114312350077477309