The Premier Soccer League chairman Dr Irvin Khoza has revealed that four companies are currently vying to become the league’s new lead sponsor.

Absa announced that it would not be renewing its deal with the PSL as lead sponsor to end a 15-year partnership in the Absa Premiership.

Khoza and the PSL executives are now vetting potential new sponsors as they try to seal a deal as quickly as possible due to Absa’s deal expiring at the end of June. Without a lead sponsor, the league would struggle to pay clubs the monthly grants upon which many depend for survival.

Khoza, though, has moved to allay fears that the league is struggling to find a new sponsor when he told IOL Sport:

‘We’ve got four companies at the moment [who want to sponsor the league).’ Khowiza didn’t reveal the identity of the corporates.

‘The economy is not in a healthy state, but we are trying to find the best ways to position our proposals. It is a very difficult one. Having said that, we are working very hard [towards finalising a deal].

‘At the moment, though, our main focus is how to restart the season. Remember, we still have to finish the old season before we can say too much about the new season. Right now, we are waiting for the government to give us the go-ahead.

‘It is a big, big problem for the clubs. With the sponsorship ending in June, we might finish [the league] without any sponsor,’ Khoza concluded.

The Bidvest Group are reportedly interested in the sponsorship after selling off Bidvest Wits, with MultiChoice and betting company BetWay also believed to be in the race.