Mamelodi Sundowns will receive about R15.3 million from FC Copenhagen for winger Thapelo Maseko. The transfer, valued at €800,000, comes after Maseko signed a four-year contract with the Danish club this week. Maseko had spent the latter part of last season on loan in Cyprus, where he impressed enough to force his way back into the Bafana Bafana squad led by then-coach Hugo Broos ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Despite his international performances, he could not secure a return to Miguel Cardoso’s plans at Sundowns.
Maseko was left out of the club’s pre-season tour of Austria and was effectively given permission to explore his options. The situation frustrated him, and he expressed his disappointment on social media, questioning his decision to join Sundowns from SuperSport United in a deal worth around R20 million at the time. The club’s manager, Miguel Cardoso, defended the move by pointing to previous sales such as those involving Cassius Mailula and Thato Sibiya.
The transfer fee is expected to be paid over a period rather than in full upfront, a structure that has been highlighted by the club’s media team. Sundowns have faced criticism over their reluctance to sell players to overseas clubs, and Cardoso pushed back against those suggestions this week.
Criticism has also been fueled by claims from Kutlwano Letlhaku’s camp that Sundowns rejected a R30 million offer from Portugal. However, the Letlhaku situation was considerably more complex, with the proposed deal structured differently from Copenhagen’s agreement for Maseko.
Maseko’s departure provides another example of the club’s willingness to move players abroad when the terms are favourable. The sale is one of Sundowns’ more significant overseas sales, particularly given that Maseko had been considered surplus to requirements. The club’s decision to let him leave was also influenced by his exclusion from the pre-season tour and the desire to give him a chance to secure a contract elsewhere.
The Danish club’s agreement with Sundowns is understood to be structured with the transfer fee paid over a period rather than in full upfront, a detail that has been confirmed by the club’s media team. This arrangement reflects a broader trend of clubs structuring sales to spread financial impact over multiple seasons.
The transfer fee of €800,000 (approximately R15.3 million) will be received by Sundowns, adding to the club’s record of overseas sales and highlighting the club’s willingness to engage in structured deals when the terms are favourable.
