Cape Town City coach Eric Tinkler has weighed in on the growing trend of SA clubs importing players from South America, highlighting the financial crisis many European countries find themselves in has opened doors for local teams to exploit the South American market.

In the past, only financially blessed Mamelodi Sundowns managed to attract South American talents to come and ply their trade in Mzansi. However, in recent seasons other teams have also managed to sign players from that part of the world.

In the January transfer window, the Citizens captured their first ever South American player in Venezuelan winger Darwin Jesus González Mendoza.

City’s provincial rivals Stellenbosch also tapped into the South American market, getting another Venezuelan player in striker Juan Carlos Ortíz, while Sundowns signed Bolivian midfielder Erwin Saavedra in the January transfer period.

“The South American market has opened because football is struggling at the moment, financially. A lot of South Americans used to find their way to Europe and Europe now doesn’t have the money they used to have, so now that market has slightly opened up even to SA,’’ stated Tinkler.

“There’s a lot of talent that exists in South America. The brand of football they play is pretty much very similar to the brand we play. They are very technical players, so they turn to adapt a lot quicker, I think, to our brand of football. Sirino is a prime example… there’s a boy at Stellies – Mendieta.’’

Tinkler also opened up about losing his key players in Fagrie Lakay and Abbubaker Mobara who were sold to Egyptian giants Pyramids and AmaZulu respectively. The City coach revealed the amount of money Pyramids paid for Lakay was too big to turn down.

“These are massive losses for us. But we have to understand. Fagrie’s offer came very late and it was unexpected but it was a high offer, very massive offer,’’ noted Tinkler.

“We threw figures at them that we thought they’d turn down, so we were shocked when they accepted those figures. Obviously, the player is also bettering his contract.”

Tinkler added: “The amount he’s going to earn is something we could never match as a club. Losing him is obviously a loss but for him it’s a fantastic opportunity… he’s financially set up for the next three, four years of his life.”