Unlike some players who stay at Mamelodi Sundowns to avoid taking huge salary cuts, Senegalese striker Mame Niang is now earning much less on loan at National First Division club AmaZulu.

Sundowns sent out a clear message to PSL rivals who were interested in their players, saying they needed to pay the full salary of whoever gets signed from the club on loan.

Niang decided to look for game time rather than money, joining Usuthu on loan until the end of the season from Sundowns, who have an option to renew his contract that expires in June.

"You know the story. Sundowns pay better than anybody in this country," said Niang. "I am one of those who were in the big bracket in terms of salary.

"It was difficult for me, but I took a big pay cut. I can't say how much because I will get into trouble. It was a sacrifice because I wanted to play. It's always difficult for small clubs because they do not have that kind of money."

He added: "Many players [at Sundowns] struggle to leave because earning less would mean that you need to change your lifestyle. Maybe I have controlled myself better than others. Hopefully that won't affect me."

Niang returned to South Africa recently after a short stint in Cyprus, where he was not paid a salary for three months by his club AEL Limassol.

"It's a very nice country and it was nice being overseas, but the club was struggling financially. I did not get paid for three months and I told my agent that I could no longer do this. That's why I came back to the PSL.

"I was supposed to go to Maritz- burg United. I was very close to joining them, but I do not have South African citizenship [and] they had already filled their foreign quota," said Niang, who has denied signing a pre-contract with Orlando Pirates.