Thapelo Maseko is training alone at Mamelodi Sundowns after the South African club allegedly rejected transfer proposals from FC Copenhagen, Al Ahly and Pyramids, according to sources close to the player.
The 22-year-old is said to be increasingly frustrated by his situation, despite having enhanced his reputation with an impressive performance for Bafana Bafana at the FIFA World Cup two months ago.
Sources told Sowetan that Sundowns have turned down offers from Danish side FC Copenhagen, Egyptian giants Al Ahly and Pyramids, who are managed by former Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena. The reports also claim Maseko is not part of current head coach Miguel Cardoso’s plans.
Maseko was not included in Sundowns’ pre-season squad that travelled to Austria and has reportedly been training separately from the first-team group.
A source told Sowetan: “They don’t want to release him around the PSL. There are offers from abroad, but they are not responding to them.”
Another source claimed the club was damaging the player’s career and said an offer from Denmark had been left unanswered.
“They are destroying this boy,” the source said. “There is an offer they received today [Wednesday] from Denmark; they have been sending offers for two weeks now, [but Sundowns] just look at it.
“The boy is training alone; they have sidelined him, and his family has to interfere in this situation, but Sundowns are still not abiding.
“He was supposed to fly today to Denmark to be able to register for the Champions League, but they have been playing hide and seek, and when asked if they have a plan for him, they don’t have it. They left him here during preseason.
“He is no longer in their [WhatsApp] group. Al Ahly made a bid, and they rejected it, while Pyramids also made a bid which was rejected too.”
The source said Maseko’s family was concerned that the continued uncertainty could affect his mental health and that he might succumb to depression if the situation persisted.
Sundowns general manager Yogesh Singh was approached for comment but could not be reached. He also did not respond to text messages sent by Sowetan.
Maseko joined Sundowns in 2023 and quickly became one of the club’s most prominent players. He won the inaugural African Football League Player of the Tournament award and later returned to the Bafana Bafana squad after reviving his career during a loan spell with AEL Limassol in Cyprus.
His time in Cyprus followed a difficult period at Sundowns, where limited playing opportunities prompted him to share an emotional message a year ago about losing his love for football. His form at AEL Limassol helped him regain his place in the national set-up and led to his return for the World Cup.
Maseko also earned a medal with the Bafana squad that won the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations and scored the winning goal for South Africa against South Korea at this year’s World Cup.
However, despite that progress, he now appears to be facing an uncertain future at Sundowns. FC Copenhagen’s interest was reportedly linked to the possibility of registering him for the Champions League, while offers from Al Ahly and Pyramids have also allegedly been rejected.
The claims have not been publicly addressed by Sundowns, leaving Maseko’s next move unresolved.
