SuperSport United have confirmed that Dean Furman has been released from his contract, allowing the midfielder to complete his move back to the UK amid league shutdowns because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Furman joined Matsatsantsa six years ago and has gone on to enjoy a trophy-laden time at the Tshwane-based club.

However, he decided to move back to England upon the expiration of his contract. But, with his wife waiting to give birth to their first child in England and the end of the season nowhere in sight, the club’s CEO, Stan Matthews, confirmed to SoccerLaduma that they let the player leave early.

‘I have said to him he can go back for the birth of his child and. knowing Dean, he probably planned the conception so that he could go in June during the off-season when his wife, who is already there, gives birth,’ said Matthews.

‘The season was supposed to end on May 21 and I thought maybe we could make the Nedbank Cup final and I had asked him to book his flight a week after. Now with this coronavirus we are definitely not going to be kicking a ball before his child is born. So I have said he can go now and doesn’t have to come back.

‘It is up to him if he wants to come back. If the child is born and he hasn’t secured himself a new deal, because right now we don’t know what is going on and clubs aren’t committing to Dean on a pre-contract yet because their leagues are also unresolved; he can come back. If he is sitting in limbo and everyone is healthy and he feels he can come back and help us finish in the top four, that’s up to him and I have left it open,’ Matthews added.