Cape Town City head coach Eric Tinkler has opened up on how close he was to losing Mduduzi Mdantsane to Kaizer Chiefs and why the move fell through.
It was the transfer deadline day in January when Amakhosi faithful were already rubbing their hands, having heard they might welcome the highly-rated midfielder to Naturena.
Sekhukhune United were also in the race and had tabled an offer for the former Baroka FC captain.
According to Tinkler, the move fell through at the last minute, with Chiefs electing not to go through with the deal.
TINKLER ON COLLAPSED MOVE OF MDUDUZI MDANTSANE TO KAIZER CHIEFS
“The little that I know, it was very, very close. It was literally last minute that Kaizer Chiefs opted not to go through with the deal,” Tinkler told Marawa Sports Worldwide.
“But I don’t know the exact details behind that. A player himself had already been informed.
“I also knew about it myself. I also knew about [Sekhukhune United].”
Tinkler says he never stood in the way of Mdantsane, and he had accepted he would be losing him.
He added that he knew they’d find his replacement.
“I’ve been at Cape Town City right from the start back in 2016, and we’ve always had a belief that we’ll never stand in a way of a footballer bettering his life,” he added.
“As much as I can be a selfish coach, wanting all the best players in order to achieve my objectives. But you don’t want to stand in a way of a player achieving greater things and securing a future for himself after football.
“Those clubs Chiefs, Pirates, and Sundowns, those are obviously targets for the players to go. Those clubs can pay the players quite a substantial amount of money to sustain themselves, so I’ll never stand in a way of that happening.
“Obviously, you don’t wanna be losing some of your best players, but I’ve accepted that. I’ve always believed that there will be another Mdantsane out there that we will find.”
RELATED STORY: Eric Tinkler urges his Cape Town City troops to man up