Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has said he is wary of expressing interest in a return for Khama Billiat to his club from Kaizer Chiefs when there are no official negotiations ongoing for such a deal to take place.

Mosimane‚ though‚ did not outright deny reports that Billiat himself has expressed an interest in aiming for a return to Sundowns‚ who the forward left a year ago‚ after contract renewal negotiations stalled‚ to join Chiefs.

The Sundowns coach also said that every player has their price.

But he was careful not to word what he was saying as showing an interest in a return of the Zimbabwean playmaker‚ who starred as Downs won the 2016 Caf Champions League.

Mosimane said he had learned from his experience of once expressing an interest in Cape Town City player Aubrey Ngoma‚ which resulted in an angry statement in response from that club’s chairman‚ John Comitis‚ in May 2017.

“I should be very careful on this issue. I need to respect Kaizer Chiefs – it’s a big institution‚ and the league will fine me‚” Mosimane said‚ asked about the reports on Billiat.

“If they complain to the league‚ the league will fine me on poaching players. Because he is Kaizer Chiefs’ player‚ and we need to respect that.

“If we want Khama‚ what do we need to do? We speak to Kaizer Chiefs club to club. And they will tell us‚ ‘We are selling’‚ or‚ ‘We’re not selling’.

“You know‚ sometimes you don’t [want to] sell‚ but even Lionel Messi’s got a price – let’s be honest.

“I think if somebody comes and offers me $1m net per month‚ I mean‚ I think I will be gone.

“We [coaches] have a price. Everybody has a price. Even you guys [the press]‚ you are working for a media company‚ I come and I say‚ ‘So much money‚ leave the institution you are at’ – you will move‚ am I right?

“So everybody has a price. Even my players have a price.

“But I can’t talk about it‚ because he belongs to Chiefs. And if we want to talk we’ll talk to Chiefs.

“Once I speak about players who are contracted to Chiefs‚ they will report me to the PSL.

“John Comitis wrote a big love story for me. And I must learn from those things.

“And even in that one‚ you [the media] were there in the press conference. You were asking me‚ ‘Would I like to have a player like that?’. I said‚ ‘Why not? Who would not want to have a player like that?’

“But when it comes out. And the media also spin these things. So you have to be careful about it.

“The issue of Khama I would like to stay away from it – and ask Sundowns‚ or ask Chiefs. I think that’s fair.”

Sundowns begin their Premier League season in the Tshwane derby against SuperSport United at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Sunday (kickoff 3pm).