Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia says the club will be open to selling goalkeeper Richard Ofori and defender Rushine De Reuck if the right offer is made.
The duo are believed to be targets of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, with Kaizer Chiefs’ interest being impacted by their transfer ban handed down by Fifa. That, however, could change if they win their CAS appeal in September.
Any potential deals have been put on ice while the league desperately tries to resume following the disruptions caused by coronavirus.
Clubs will then need to evaluate the financial impact of the virus, which could have them selling off their top talent to balance the books.
Kadodia, though, insists his most wanted men in De Reuck and Ofori will only be sold if an offer to improve the players’ future comes in.
‘I think the important thing is that there must be a willing buyer and a willing seller. We would love to keep players happy in the team, look at their future and if any offers would improve their future. Then we can certainly look at it. But we can’t be desperate to go out in the market right at this moment,’ Kadodia told journalists.
Ofori’s contract expires in June next year, while De Reuck recently put pen to paper on a long-term deal that is expected to take him all the way to June 2025 at the club.
Maritzburg also have players such as Siyanda Xulu, Nazeer Allie and Phumlani Ntshangase, whose contracts expire next week. The club would have to enter into short-term agreements to have them available to complete the season.
‘What is key for us is that we will know the future of our training plan and the league commencing, hopefully, in the next three to four weeks. Everything has its own risks at the moment, and you have to understand that if the league does not kick off on schedule to complete the season then it’s a financial risk we are taking. In the next day or two we will know when we will complete the balance of the season and then we can make announcements,’ said Kadodia when asked about the 30 June contract saga.