Mamelodi Sundowns announced on Thursday that the club have amicably agreed to part ways with midfielder Hlompho Kekana.

The midfielder has been a stalwart for the Brazilians for over 10 years but has find playing time hard to come by since the departure of former coach Pitso Mosimane.

With Kekana clearly not in the coaching plans, the club along with the player have agreed terms which will have the 36-year-old departing early with his contract set to expire at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.

The club released a statement which read:

“Mamelodi Sundowns and Hlompho Kekana have reached an amicable agreement to part ways. KK, as he is affectionately known, had a contract that was going to conclude at the end of the current [2021-22] season.

“The Zebediela-born Midfielder had a distinguished career over 10 years with Mamelodi Sundowns playing over 350 matches. At the beginning of the season, the player was honoured by the club with a long-service award for his dedication and devotion to the club.

“The club legend is among the most decorated footballers in South African football history. Among his numerous honours at Sundowns, Kekana lifted 6 Premiership League titles, the 2016 CAF Champions League and the 2017 CAF Super League. Before joining Sundowns, Hlompho had 2 league titles to his name and this makes him one of the most decorated players in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).

“He is also the only South African to be nominated for the FIFA Puskas Award on two occasions [in 2016 and 2020].

“Addressing the players and technical team, the chairman of Mamelodi Sundowns, Mr Tlhopie Motsepe, remarked on Hlompho’s inspirational journey and said: ‘In almost all of his interviews, Hlompho always referred to himself as “a boy from the village”. He is proud of where he has come from and his journey as a boy from Zebediela to a man leading Mamelodi Sundowns to the FIFA Club World Cup in Osaka Japan, is a story that I pray all future leaders in South Africa draw inspiration from’.

“As with other Sundowns legends, there is always an opportunity for Kekana to return to Mamelodi Sundowns in a different capacity when he decides to retire from active football.

“The long-serving former captain met with the players and technical team after training to bid them farewell.