Mamelodi Sundowns Set to Part-ways With Two South American Stars

 Mamelodi Sundowns’ five Latin American foreign players Arthur Sales, Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Matias Esquivel, Lucas Suarez, and Marcelo Allende may not all remain at Chloorkop next season, as the club reshuffles its squad ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. With the FIFA Club World Cup kicking off on June 15 in the USA, the futures of Suarez and Esquivel, excluded from the 23-man squad, appear particularly shaky.

Lucas Ribeiro Costa and Marcelo Allende have been standout performers, with Ribeiro scoring 12 goals and providing 10 assists in 34 games, and Allende netting five goals in 28 matches during the 2024/25 Betway Premiership. Arthur Sales, a record R63 million signing, showed promise with four goals in 22 games after a slow start. However, Lucas Suarez and Matias Esquivel have struggled, raising doubts about their long-term roles.

Suarez, a 30-year-old Argentine defender signed permanently from Talleres in 2024, not on loan as previously reported, played just once in Sundowns’ last 10 games. Reports from Argentina suggest he’s eager to return to Talleres, where new coach Diego Cocca awaits, with his contract running until December 2026. The Torneo Clausura, starting July 17, aligns with his potential move.

Esquivel, a 26-year-old midfielder who joined from Atletico Lanus in January 2024 for R25 million, has also faltered. After scoring twice in 13 games in his first stint, he returned to Talleres on loan, playing only three times. Back at Sundowns, his limited impact has prompted discussions about offloading him, despite his contract and significant transfer fee complicating matters.

Sundowns, facing Borussia Dortmund and Fluminense in the Club World Cup’s Group F, rely on Ribeiro and Allende to drive their global ambitions. The club’s R900 million participation fee highlights the stakes, but Suarez and Esquivel’s absences signal a shift. As Sundowns plan for another CAF Champions League push, their foreign contingent’s reshuffle could reshape their squad, leaving fans hopeful for strategic signings in 2025/26