Cape Town City head coach Eric Tinkler has confirmed, as published first in this publication, that attacking midfielder Mduduzi Mdantsane was close to joining Kaizer Chiefs on deadline day before the Amakhosi themselves called it off.
Mdantsane has been one of the regulars in Tinkler’s team, making 24 appearances this season. City were prepared for his departure, but a late change of heart by the Glamour Boys meant that they kept their man and even took up the option to extend his current contract.
“The little that I know is that it was very, very close,” Tinkler told Marawa Sports Worldwide.
“It was literally [at the] last minute that Kaizer Chiefs opted not to go through with the deal, but I don’t know the exact details behind that.
“The player himself had already been informed, I knew about it myself. I knew about both Kaizer Chiefs and Sekhukhune.
“I’ve been at Cape Town City right from the start, back in 2016 and we’ve always had a belief that we’ll never stand in the way of a footballer improving his life.
“As much as I can be a selfish coach, wanting all the best players in order to achieve my objectives. But you don’t want to stand in the way of a player achieving greater things and securing obviously a future for himself after football.
“Fact of the matter is, those clubs Chiefs, Pirates, Sundowns, those are targets for the players to go to. Those are big clubs that obviously can pay the players quite substantial amounts of money to sustain themselves.
“I’ll never stand in the way of that happening. Obviously, you don’t want to be losing some of your best players, but I’ve accepted that, and I’ve always believed that there will be another Mdantsane out there that we can look to find.”
Mduduzi has been a great servant, making 99 appearances for City and at times single handly carried the team. He has scored 19 goals so far and set up seven assists since joining the club on a free transfer after his exit from Baroka. Whilst he was a free agent at that time, Chiefs were also offered his services, but they chose not to sign him.
A loss that has proven crucial.
