Head coach Miguel Cardoso has explained the exit of a Mamelodi Sundowns player who did not travel with the squad for the FIFA Club World Cup.
The Brazilians are currently in the United States, where they will be vying for global dominance as they take on the world's best at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
However, not all of the club's players made the trip, with several understood to be facing the exit door at Sundowns. Mathias Esquevel, Thapelo Maseko, and most recently Lucas Suarez, were not part of the travelling team.
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Esquivel is expected to be leaving the club, while Maseko could be heading out on loan.
Speaking to media ahead of Sundowns' opening match at the Club World Cup, Cardoso all but confirmed that Suarez is the latest casualty who will be leaving the Brazilians.
"Lucas [Suarez] is not with us. It’s not taboo, it’s normal information I can provide, so until the moment we didn’t move forward on his option," the Portuguese mentor explained to journalists.
"It’s a player that had his moments with us, that we supported, but unfortunately, in the end, things did not work out the way we wanted. But it doesn’t mean he’s not a quality player. He’s a quality player, and it doesn’t mean there was a mistake in his scouting."
"There was not a mistake but the question is the competition at centre-back is very tough at Mamelodi Sundowns, and the line is so thin between being important and not being important, and as a foreigner, that’s an extra value and we had to evaluate him as a foreigner and not as a centre-back.
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"When you think of the composition of the squad for the future, eventually that’s where we stand on our position," added the Sundowns coach.
More exits are still expected at Sundowns as Cardoso continues shaping his ideal squad ahead of an ambitious 25/26 season.
Photo: Gallo Images/ Lefty Shivambu
