Sundowns won’t get drawn into any ‘polluted’ Jali talk

Note: This is an updated article on Jali and Sundowns

For quite some time now, there have been interesting rumours to suggest there is no clarity over whether Jali and Sundowns will agree to a new deal as his current contract expires in June.

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Recently it was then sensationally reported that Chiefs may already be in talks with Jali, who could be open to the move, although he would apparently want to keep his favourite jersey No 15.

According to his agent Mike Makaab, talks are ongoing and sensitive, although it’s also been hinted that there will come a time when Sundowns will have to make a decision on whether or not they want to keep the 32-year-old at the club.

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Yet, Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena has made it clear that clarity will be provided when the timing is right.

“I don’t want to get too much into that space because it’s quite polluted with – as you said – ‘he said, she said’ type of stuff,” Mokwena said when asked for the latest information by SABC Sport. “So, I’d rather not comment on it because I have spoken extensively about it already in the past and to avoid being misquoted…I’d rather not comment on the situation.” 

“I think the club will give a directive and an announcement and a response in due course, at the right time when the club deems it necessary,” Mokwena concluded. 

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Sundowns will want what is best for all parties

According to the latest information provided by Makaab, when talking to Soccer Laduma, it is expected that a decision will be made in the near future.

“Obviously, this has been a crazy period for the team,” Makaab said last week. “When they get back, I am hoping to sit down with them and bring finality one way or the other.

“All difficult deals take a long time. We are talking about a serious football club and a serious football player. We are talking about [Andlile] Jali’s future, not just a contract. Definitely within the next week, or two [not longer than that].”

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Makaab has always maintained that the matter will be dealt with professionally.

“Again, the timing of this is important. There is no need to disrupt the player and there is no need to disrupt the football club. Why go into the media and make comments that could cause disruption in relationship between the football club and the player, and the football club and myself, and the player and myself.

“Before I make these comments that I’m making on our show here, I discuss the issues with AJ, I discuss the issues with Mamelodi Sundowns. I speak to our listeners from an informed and truthful point of view.

“I’m saying that we’re in negotiations. And when the time is right, those negotiations will be accelerated. When the time is right, Mamelodi Sundowns will be asked to make a decision.”

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