SuperSport rejects Sundowns' multi-million rand bid for Mokoena and Modiba

Teboho Mokoena of SuperSport United celebrates his goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership match between SuperSport United and Bloemfontein Celtic at Lucas Moripe Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Teboho Mokoena of SuperSport United celebrates his goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership match between SuperSport United and Bloemfontein Celtic at Lucas Moripe Stadium on January 20, 2019 in Pretoria, South Africa.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

SuperSport United have sensationally rejected Mamelodi Sundowns' multi-million rand offer for the signatures of emerging midfielders Teboho Mokoena and Aubrey Modiba.

Sundowns put millions on rand on the table and also offered a player as a sweetener to United as part of the proposal.

But United football manager Stan Matthews said he told Sundowns officials that his two most prized assets are not for sale to any local team‚ including Patrice Motsepe's Brazilians.

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“I spoke to Sundowns where I met with Yogesh (Singh) and coach Pitso (Mosimane)‚" he said.

"We are not selling Tebza or Aubrey locally and there is no further discussions around that.

“We have told both players that if their buyout clauses are met internationally‚ they are welcomed to go.

"In Tebza’s (Mokoena) case‚ there is a bit of interest overseas for him and it is a matter of waiting and seeing how it unfolds.

“I should know in the next week or so whether we are getting the letter of invitation for Tebza.

"They know the prize and then it will just be subject to him going out on trial and doing his thing. But locally we are not selling Tebogo and Aubrey.”

Matthews said United cannot keep selling their best players as they are not a development team.

“Why would we be selling Aubrey to a local club when he has three years left in his contract with us?" he asked.

"He scored five goals last season‚ made 12 assists and he is shining nicely.

"Tebogo is a young player of the year‚ so why would we be grooming players to pass them on to our competitors locally? We are not a development team.

“These are two young players who if they are snapped up overseas‚ we won’t stand in their way.

"Otherwise we feel they have unfinished business with us and we have trophies to win with them.

“We have always said it from the days of Daine Klate‚ Morgan Gould‚ Bongani Khumalo and Kermit Erasmus that whenever a player comes to the team and helps us to win a trophy‚ we won’t stand in your way of a big move.

"With Aubrey and Mokoena‚ they are right at the very start of their careers and they have still got mileage to travel on their contracts with SuperSport and we won’t be hassled into having them go prematurely.”

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