Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi admits that want-away star Gaston Sirino will have to fight for his place back in the team.

The Egyptian giants Al Ahly have been after chasing the signature of the Uruguayan for a number of months despite him signing a new contract with the Brazilians in July 2020.

Sirino had also previously stated his desire to leave Sundowns before the closure of the recent transfer window and has not play since negotiations between the two clubs.

However, Sundowns have since announced that the club have terminated talks with Al Ahly for Sirino saying that the clubs’ evaluation of the player were too far apart.

Mngqithi went on to reveal that Sirino is back training with his teammates as he looks to regain fitness and once again earn his place in the starting lineup.

‘At a certain point, mentally, he was all over but now he is back in training and he needs to fight for his place in the team. He can see that the team is moving forward without him and it is very easy at Sundowns to be forgotten,’ Mngqithi told the media.

‘He is working very hard at training and we are hoping to see him soon. It is just unfortunate that for medical reasons he could not play this one, but we are hoping that in the next one he would have found his fitness and fight for his place in the team.

‘It is not going to be an easy one, it won’t be a walk in the park, because the boys who are inside are giving their best but we know what he is capable of – when he comes on he adds to our depth.’