Mamelodi Sundowns will not be venturing into the ongoing transfer market in a big way, according to coach Rhulani Mokwena, who says they will beef up the team with just three more players.

Speaking from their camp in Rustenburg yesterday, Mokwena reiterated that gone are the days when the monied club signed players for the sake of it, amid suggestions they may be reverting to the pre-Pitso Mosimane days when they recruited too many players.

The Brazilians have already confirmed the signing of midfielder Sipho Mbule from SuperSport United and Ethiopian international Abubaker Nasir Ahmed, who started training with the team yesterday. 

“We are very happy with the team that we have. We are trying to be extremely strategic with what we are trying to recruit,” Mokwena explained to the media during the club coaching clinic at Royal Marang Hotel in Phokeng.

“But the days of seeing seven or eight transfers from Sundowns are over. We try to sign [thinking first] about the needs of the team and maybe this season, in particular, we are trying to sign [players] looking at how we want to play.

“So we did a bit of work in the last two seasons and we brought in some very good players, which we feel have set the team for a very good foundation.

“Now we just need to be a bit strategic and I think the maximum is three more to come through the door – nothing more.”

Mokwena says Nasir is settling in well in the team and that he is going to add a lot of quality to the team.

“They are doing very well. Nasir has joined us now for his first training session today [Thursday] and he is a player that has been with us last year already,” he said.

“He was with us in Rustenburg and he was part of the mid-season break. He went back home and in the process, we assisted him with an English tutor. So we tried to get him to speak English already and upon his return, the communication he had with us and players was in English.

“So we are very happy because that fast tracks the integration and adaptation process. We are looking forward to him settling in and getting a better understanding of how we play and for his integration with our play.

“Sipho has settled very well; great attitude, fantastic spirit and work ethic. He shows a very good hunger to succeed and makes the best of this opportunity.

“We all know the qualities that he has. He is a top footballer."