BREAKING: Sundowns Sign Mbule!
Mamelodi Sundowns have completed the signing of central midfielder Sipho Mbule who will represent Bafana Ba Style on a 3-year contract deal ahead of the new season.
The sleek midfielder who started his career after joining SuperSport United’s football academy has also played at the under-17, 20, and 23 levels of the national team. Mbule made 10 league appearances for Matsatsantsa this season.
The 24-year-old becomes the latest player from SuperSport to join Masandawana this off-season and will join up with his former teammates Grant Kekana, Aubrey Modiba, and Teboho Mokoena at Chloorkop.
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Mbule joined the SuperSport’s academy in the 2015/16 season from Virginia (Harmony) Sports Academy and played just under 100 games for Matsatsantsa.
The 24 -year-old played a crucial role in helping Matsatsantsa to lift the MTN 8 trophy twice in the 2017/18 and 2019/20 seasons and contributed immensely to SuperSport United’s historic CAF Confederation Cup journey, finishing as runners-up losing narrowly to DRC’s TP Mazembe in 2017. Mbule’s magical long-range strike in the first leg of the final was nominated for the goal of the tournament.
At Matsatsantsa, Mbule was rewarded by his peers for his magnificent and consistent performances in the 2019/20 season and scooped the SuperSport United Players’ Player of the season in the club awards.
SuperSport United FC CEO Stan Matthews said: “We are sorry to be losing a gifted player like Sipho, especially at his age where his best is yet to come.
“We tried all avenues to turn things around with Sipho, but in recent months it became clear that his heart and mind is not at our club and that it was best for us to part ways. We wish Sipho every success in football and in life and hope to see the best of him in the future as he truly has special talent that can light up the PSL and Bafana Bafana,” he said.
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Mbule’s ex-coach has mixed feelings about the move
Earlier this week, Mbule’s ex-coach at Harmony Academy, Pitso Mokoena said he has mixed feelings about Mbule joining Sundowns.
“I’ve got mixed feelings when it comes to Sipho’s move to Sundowns; but yes, it is a good move [financially] and I hope he will go to Sundowns and grow,” Mokoena said as per Soccer Laduma.
“I pray that the ill-discipline issues he had at SuperSport United won’t follow him at Sundowns. And to be honest, I am wondering if Sipho has learned from his mistake at SuperSport or not because he was wrong; his behaviour was unacceptable.
“Now going to Sundowns without realising that he made a mistake, he won’t learn, and I believe he will feel like he was right with what he was doing at SuperSport; that’s my concern with Sipho right now.”
“But I hope he will respect the team and his contact. He was in a hurry to go to Sundowns; he didn’t have the patience to honour his contract, to wait and get SuperSport’s blessing,” concluded Mokoena.
