Phakamani Mahlambi finds himself in limbo yet again ahead of the start of the 2021/22 season, the Siya crew can reveal.
Phakamani Mahlambi finds himself in limbo yet again ahead of the start of the 2021/22 season, the Siya crew can reveal.
The young attacker is understood to still be at home in KwaZulu-Natal training on his own following a decision taken by the Mamelodi Sundowns technical team to leave him out of their plans for the foreseeable future.
Mahlambi, 23, was sent to AmaZulu on loan last season in an effort to try revive his career, but coach Benni McCarthy was critical of the player’s efforts, while his Downs counterpart Manqoba Mngqithi insinuated the ex-Al Ahly forward was not serious about his career.
During his spell at Usuthu, Mahlambi only made two appearances and it’s no surprise that his loan spell has not been extended.
Given that he is still contracted to Sundowns until June 2023, it was expected that Mahlambi would rejoin his parent club for pre-season.
But that’s not the case…
The Siya crew has it on good authority that the player is keeping fit on his own while Downs are working on getting him another loan move or possibly sell him outright.
Kaizer Chiefs were keen on his services last year with then coach Gavin Hunt believed to be interested in adding him to his squad after the lifting of the FIFA ban, but that now looks unlikely with the ex-Bidvest Wits mentor no longer at Naturena.
Hunt promoted Mahlambi from the Wits reserves to the senior team back in 2015 and argued he would be better than McCarthy, a player Hunt gave his top-flight break when he was only 17 years old… and the rest is history.
Siya sources have indicated to the crew that it’s been made clear that Mahlambi will not be part of the Downs squad this season, so a loan move – at the very least – is on the cards.
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