Erasmus nearing exit at Sundowns as Allende takes over his jersey number

Kermit Erasmus is edging closer to the exit door at Mamelodi Sundowns.

The well-traveled attacker has not featured for the Brazilians this campaign and the number 11 jersey he wore last season has been handed to Chilean import Marcelo Allende.

Allende made an immediate impression for the club as he scored on his debut in Downs' comfortable 3-0 DStv Premiership win over Stellenbosch at Loftus on Wednesday night.

Asked about the future of the 32-year-old Erasmus, Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena was non-committal and only prepared to say the club will release a statement on the player in due course.

“The club will give you the information on that, administrative things. I am the wrong person to ask, sorry,” said Mokwena after the win over Stellenbosch.

“The club has not said anything and therefore everybody that is here and registered for Sundowns is here. By the way, a lot of numbers have also changed, you have seen different numbers on different players, but the club will make that communication in due course.

“Ask me about why he [Allende] played as a '10' [playmaker], what are the movements that we need.”

With Erasmus potentially at the end of his career at the club, Mokwena is excited about Allende who he says needs time to adjust to his new environment.

“We are excited and it is the same thing with Abubeker Nasir, he [Allende] is 23 years old and comes from South America. This is a different environment, different style of play, different opposition and different league.

“I plead for a lot of patience and a lot of time because he needs to get used to the culture of the club, the expectations, the way we do things here is different to how things were done for him in Chile.

“There is great potential but he needs time to adapt to the culture and the way of working here. The food is different, the way we speak is different, the game is different, so we need to be patient with new players.”

The other player expected to leave Sundowns is striker Pavol Šafranko whose career has been disrupted by injuries.

“The club will also make an announcement on that but it is looking like there will be some movement on that space. Because of the delicacy of the situation and also because Pavol is such an incredible human being, his personality will deserve the professionalism that is deserved.

“The club will treat him just like he’s treated the club and that is with respect and dignity. It will be unfair of me to comment on it on this platform before the club announces it.”