Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has described the Ricardo Nascimento situation as a “banana skin”.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi has described the Ricardo Nascimento situation as a “banana skin”.
The Siya crew reported last month that, according to insiders at Chloorkop, Downs had decided to part company with the veteran defender due to his long-term injury and the player’s own request to return to his native country of Brazil.
Nascimento is currently in South America having travelled there to undergo rehab at the end of the previous season.
Indications are that the 34-year-old has been there for nearly three months now and is not likely to recover in time to be registered.
“We don’t have any issues with him,” Mngqithi told journalists during a press conference in the build-up to their MTN8 quarterfinal against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday.
“But it is a little bit tricky to sign him before we know he has fully recovered. It’s a little bit of a banana skin. So we are waiting probably until the last minute to make a call in that space, although we are optimistic that he could make a full recovery because from the procedures that he has been doing, and the rehab, he looks very good. We are optimistic we might have him.”
Even with that said, the Siya crew has been led to believe that Downs are looking for a replacement – and are thought to have agreed a transfer fee with Golden Arrows for the services of Nkosinathi Sibisi.
But Orlando Pirates could still hijack that deal.
It now remains to be seen whether there will be a U-turn on the earlier decision taken by both Nascimento and Downs to cut ties.
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