DURBAN - Mamelodi Sundowns have beaten Kaizer Chiefs to the signature of Ajax Cape Town defender, Mosa Lebusa. Urban Warriors coach, Muhsin Ertugral, has informed Independent Media that Lebusa is on his way to Sundowns.
Ajax will be plying their trade in the National First Division in the new season. Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has repeatedly mentioned that his club is looking for a leftback and a left-footed centreback.
Lebusa can also operate in the centre of defence and will give Mosimane and his technical team that option. "Lebusa has done well for us. He is leaving the club. He is joining Sundowns and I think he will do well there," Ertugral explained on Tuesday.
Lebusa is facing a strong competition at left wing back. He will be competing with the likes of Tebogo Langerman, Siyabonga Zulu and Lyle Lakay. At center back, he will battle it out against Ricardo Nascimento, Wayne Arendse and Bangaly Soumahoro.
Amakhosi were also interested in luring him to Naturena, after cutting ties with Tsepo Masilela and Sibusiso Khumalo. Chiefs have already signed Letlhogonolo Mirwa from ABC Motsepe League side, Buya Msuthu, while Philani Zulu is the incumbent left back for Amakhosi.
Assistant coach, Patrick Mabedi stated a couple of weeks ago that the club is interested in signing the left back. Chiefs will have to ponder other options after missing out on Lebusa. Siphosakhe Ntiyantiya is set to be sent back to the reserve side.
The Skipper doing Skipper things! 💪🏃♂️🚧🔨⚡️
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) July 28, 2018
Meanwhile, Ertugral is not ruling out the possibility of leaving Ajax should he receive offer abroad. "The club has a structure. It is so unfortunate that the problem couldn't be solved in time. South African Football need Ajax Cape Town," he said.
"The possibility from Turkey and Saudi Arabia are always there. If they come, I will look at the them but for now my focus is on assembling a very good young squad that will compete in the NFD. It is completely a rebuilding process and I can't leave the club in this situation. We building a good team of 19 and 20 years old."
Ajax will be looking to bounce back straight in to the Premier Soccer League like Jomo Cosmos, Lamontville Golden Arrows and Highlands Park. The trio spent one season in the NFD before bouncing back immediately in previous seasons.
"I attained 18 points in the second round of season. If you compare the number of points that the club received under my tenure and the number of the points that other clubs ammased we would have been in the Top 8. That is a huge jump. It wasn't easy. The whole situation was complex," he concluded.