With their sights set on a second CAF Champions League title and the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, Mamelodi Sundowns have made ambitious moves in the transfer market.
Among the latest additions is Argentinian defender Lucas Suarez. The left centre-back joined the 2016 African champions on loan from CA Talleres via the Transfer Room platform, which was held in Istanbul, Turkey, in November 2024.
The platform has been pivotal in the recruitment process since 2022. Interestingly, Sundowns have not recruited players from the continent since then. All five of their foreign players currently come from South America.
In their quest for a second star, Downs will face Tunisian giants Esperance in the quarterfinal of the CAF Champions League. The ‘Attaraji’ reached the final last year under the tutelage of Sundowns’ new coach, Miguel Cardoso.
On the domestic front, Masandawana are on course for their eighth successive PSL title.
FARPost looks at Sundowns’ four biggest transfers, their costs, and the impact these players have had on the team’s performance.
FLEMMING BERG EXPLAINS THE PROCESS BEHIND LANDMARK DEALS
Sundowns’ Sporting Director, Flemming Berg, has previously explained how Transfer Room plays a crucial role in Sundowns’ ambitions to become the top team in Africa and enhance its global presence. The platform is a transfer marketplace, with an online platform that over 800 clubs and 500 Trusted Agencies use to complete deals.
“We have, based on Transfer Room, done a few deals over the last two years,” said Berg in a Transfer Room blog. “For example, Marcelo Allende, Matías Esquivel and Tashreeq Matthews.”
Berg said that at the Transfer Room, they have opportunities to meet over two days with 23 different clubs or agents.
“I will write an email to our data department and say, ‘Look, these are the players that I have been suggested. Can you have a look at it?’ “If there are one or two of these players where we say, ‘Ok, this could actually be interesting’, I will try to set up new meetings immediately with those clubs or agents already tomorrow.”
The Danish administrator is convinced that the platform expands Sundowns’ “horizon and possibilities.” For us in South Africa, it’s a lot about information and building relationships and partnerships.
“It is very important because South Africa is far away. It’s far away from Europe and it’s far away from South America, which are generally the markets.”
He added that they were looking at “both buying players but also selling players” “without travelling more than once to meet a lot of people and get some good connections”.
HERE ARE SUNDOWNS’ FOUR BIGGEST TRANSFERS AND WHAT THEY COST
TASHREEQ MATTHEWS [R28 million]
The Tshwane giants paid €1.5 million [R28 million] for Matthews in a transfer that brought him back to South Africa from abroad in January 2024. Before his move to Chloorkop, one of the club’s biggest transfers, he had been outstanding for the Swedish side IK Sirius.
The former Varbergs BoIS, Helsingborgs IF, and Borussia Dortmund II attacker recorded 23 goal contributions in 45 matches for Sirius. The 24-year-old has been impressive since joining Downs over 13 months ago.
Matthews has 17 goal contributions [including 11 goals] in 35 games across all competitions. This season, he has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 18 outings. He looks likely to play a pivotal role in the future with the club.
MATIAS ESQUIVEL [R44.2 million]
Esquivel joined the defending South African champions during the 2023/24 season. After nine appearances and one goal, he was loaned back to his former club, CA Talleres, in his homeland Argentina. While on loan, he played 11 games.
He was recalled to Sundowns in January 2025 but has only played two games. He played 64 minutes against Mpheni Defenders in the Nedbank Cup Last 16. His other appearance was a 14-minute cameo in a league clash against SuperSport United.
Despite the exorbitant fee paid for him, the 25-year-old has yet to justify the transfer fee. The central midfielder’s future with the Brazilians looks bleak.
MARCELO ALLENDE [R51 million]
Allende’s former Chilean club boss Cristian Ogalde previously detailed the story of the lightning-fast R51 million acquisition of the talented midfielder by Masandawana ahead of the 2022/23 Betway Premiership season.
“It was a great opportunity to showcase a quality player who maybe not many clubs in the world were aware of,” Ogalde explained to the TransferRoom Blog in Rome, Italy.
In 15 minutes, Downs secured the talented playmaker for a staggering US$3 million [R51 million at the time], marking a historic moment for both clubs. Within 15 days, Sundowns finalised the purchase, securing 80% ownership rights for the attacking midfielder.
The Chilean midfielder has been an ever-present figure in Downs’ starting lineup since arriving in the country. He has started 105 games in the last 31 months. According to Transfermarkt, he has 18 goal contributions [nine goals and nine assists].
He has won two league titles and the inaugural African Football League title. Former Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena described the 25-year-old as intelligent, humble, and positively impacting the team.
ARTHUR SALES [R63 million]
The Brazilian attacker joined Sundowns in July 2024 from Belgian side Lommel SK. He had scored 18 goals plus five assists for the second-tier club Lommel. Before his arrival, Allende and Esquivel represented the most expensive signings for Sundowns and the entire league.
However, the R63 million [then €3.2M] makes him the most expensive player in the history of the PSL. The transfer fee, confirmed by Transfer Room, broke the previous record set by Allende. Sales is beginning to show his class after a slow start to life in South Africa.
In 19 appearances, the striker has three goals and seven assists. The next Transfer Room Summit will be held in Berlin on 17-18 March.
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