Mamelodi Sundowns FC Set to Shake Up Foreign Quota
Mamelodi Sundowns FC is set to make changes to their foreign quota ahead of the transfer window, with some players facing the axe. The Brazilians are currently 2nd in the Premier Soccer League, 68 points from 30 games, with a recent form of LWDWW. They are 1 point behind leaders Orlando Pirates in the title race.
Who Will Be Sacrificed?
The discussions around Mamelodi Sundowns FC's foreign quota of players will again be topical with the traditional changes looming. The Portuguese pair of Nuno Santos and Miguel Reisinho, Chilean midfielder Marcelo Allende, Brazilian forward Arthur Sales, and Colombian striker Brayan Leon were part of the team's foreign quota at the end of the past season. However, with the Brazilians intending to make new foreign signings, Reisinho will be sacrificed.
Reisinho has fresh options following a one-season spell with Mamelodi Sundowns FC, where he was limited to only 14 appearances. This was less than a third of the games played by the club through the 2025/26 season after joining on a free transfer from Boavista. The towering midfielder has been with the team since January, when he arrived from Independiente Medellin and has since made a huge impression.
What Comes Next?
With Reisinho leaving, Mamelodi Sundowns FC will maintain the tradition of changes in their foreign quota with every window. They had started the 2025/26 season with one open foreign spot after Matias Esquivel had been loaned out to Greek club AEK Kifisia. Through the previous season, they had Sales, Allende, Lucas Ribeiro Costa (Brazil) plus Matias Esquivel and Lucas Suarez (both Argentine).
Sales, Costa, and Allende were with the club since the start of the season, while Esquivel returned from his loan at Club Atletico Talleres, with Suarez joining on loan from the same club. Bolivian midfielder Erwin Saavedra was the fourth foreigner prior to Esquivel and Suarez arriving but was deregistered as he made his way out.
Mamelodi Sundowns FC's Foreign Player Contingent
This was the first time that Mamelodi Sundowns FC's allotted five foreign players were all South Americans. The 2023/24 season had Abdelmounaim Boutouil (Morocco) and Junior Mendieta (Argentina) joining Ribeiro, and Allende with Saavedra and Abubeker Nasir (Ethiopia) registered and then deregistered along the way. The season before there was Gaston Sirino (Uruguay) along with Boutouil, Saavedra, Allende, and Nasir.
Mamelodi Sundowns FC have also had Pavol Safranko (Slovakia), Peter Shalulile (Namibia), Divine Lunga, Cuthbert Malajila (both Zimbabwe), Ricardo Nascimento (Brazil), Bangaly Soumahoro, Yannick Zakri (both Cote d'Ivoire), and Jose Ali Meza (Venezuela) registered as foreign players. That list has also featured Emiliano Tade (Argentina), Mauricio Affonso (Uruguay), Toni Silva (Guinea-Bissau), Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand), Brimah Razak (Ghana), Fares Hachi (Algeria), Leonardo Castro (Colombia), and Fiston Abdul Razak (Burundi). Denis Onyango (Uganda) and Lunga now play as non-foreigners.
Mamelodi Sundowns FC is set to make changes to their foreign quota ahead of the transfer window, with some players facing the axe. The team has a strong squad and will look to strengthen their foreign quota in the coming weeks. With the transfer window set to open soon, fans are eagerly waiting to see who will be the next addition to the team.
