Coach Zondo maintains Letsoalo is not for sale

Royal striker has submitted transfer request but club need him for CAF

Sihle Ndebele Journalist
Royal AM want Victor Letsoalo for CAF duties.
Royal AM want Victor Letsoalo for CAF duties.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Despite recently signing three strikers in Samir Nurkovic, Ruzaigh Gamildien and Andre de Jong, Royal AM coach Khabo Zondo has reiterated they have no intention of selling talisman Victor Letsoalo.

Letsoalo is said to have handed in a transfer request with Kaizer Chiefs, one of the clubs interested in him. Towards the end of last season, Amakhosi coach Arthur Zwane didn't hide he would love to have Letsoalo in his team.

Zondo, who replaced John Maduka last week, is determined to hold onto their first-choice striker, underlining the role the 29-year-old Letsoalo will play in the side's maiden CAF Confederation campaign. The Bafana Bafana striker finished as the second top-scorer with 15 goals, seven behind Golden Boot winner Peter Shalulile of Mamelodi Sundowns.

"As a coach I can't let Letsoalo go. I will be happy to have a player like him in the squad. He's a very important figure in the team. If you look at the number of goals that he's scored recently, you'll understand why every coach would like to work with him.

"It's very important that we acknowledge the fact that we're going to the Confed Cup. We'll play so many matches and we'll need that depth in personnel to compete fairly. So, we need every striker that we have. Look at a team like Sundowns, how many players do they have? Many because they play many games.''

Zondo wasn't keen to confirm if Letsoalo has indeed asked to be released. Letsoalo wasn't reached for comment when contacted yesterday. However, Sowetan has it on good authority that the striker submitted his transfer request at the end of last term. Thwihli Thwahla still have another astute striker in the form of Mxolisi Macuphu who did well last season, despite only joining in the second half.

Zondo inherits a side that punched above their weight last term under Maduka, finishing third. The 60-year-old former Golden Arrows trainer has been given a mandate of keeping the side in the top-eight this season and be competitive in the Confed Cup.

"There's no pressure put on me. I just have to make sure that the team remains in the top-eight, that's what is expected. We also aim to go far in the Confed Cup,'' noted Zondo.

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