Motsepe gives green light to Tau's R50-million deal to Brighton after player and agent apologise

09 July 2018 - 18:24 By Nick Said
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Mamelodi Sundowns' president and owner Patrice Motsepe (L) celebrates a victory with star forward Percy Tau during the Absa Premiership match against Maritzburg United at Loftus Stadium, Pretoria on December 13 2017.
Mamelodi Sundowns' president and owner Patrice Motsepe (L) celebrates a victory with star forward Percy Tau during the Absa Premiership match against Maritzburg United at Loftus Stadium, Pretoria on December 13 2017.
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePixGv

Mamelodi Sundowns owner Patrice Motsepe has instructed the team’s management to finalise a deal to take Percy Tau to English Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion‚ the Tshwane side confirmed on Monday.

It comes after Tau and his agent‚ Mmatsatsi Sefalafala‚ apologised to Motsepe for leaking information about the deal to the media‚ and after the Bafana Bafana forward went AWOL from pre-season training.

“Mamelodi Sundowns is pleased to announce that the President of Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Dr. Patrice Motsepe ‚gave instructions to the Management to finalize the deal with Brighton & Hove Albion FC (Brighton) after Percy Tau and his agent came to see him and apologised for disclosing confidential information to the media and for Percy Tau not reporting for training‚” a statement from the club read.

It follows an earlier report on TimesLIVE that confirmed the deal had not moved forward since Brighton gave Sundowns 24 hours to accept their offer last week.

Brighton have tabled a South African record R50-million offer for the Bafana Bafana forward‚ which could rise as high as R65-million with add-ons.

Sundowns were holding out for more‚ but faced losing Tau for nothing this time next year‚ with the player able to sign a pre-contract with the English club in January.

Sources told TimesLIVE last week that the club are willing to bide their time to eventually get their man.

Sundowns have already lost Bongani Zungu and Khama Billiat for free in recent years‚ and to see a deal of this size slip from their grasp would be another blow to a club that is trying to present the image of one that will not stand in the way of their best players. 


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