Talks terminated: Sundowns says Al Ahly offered too little for Gaston Sirino

Mamelodi Sundowns have terminated talks with Al Ahly over the potential sale to the Egyptian giants of Uruguayan attacker Gaston Sirino.

Sundowns said their price range and that of Al Ahly’s on the proposed transfer fee for the 29-year-old was “too far from each other”.

Al Ahly, the club of former Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane‚ who signed Sirino to the Brazilians from Club Bolivar in Bolivia in January 2018, have long been interested in acquiring the temperamental but highly-skilled South American.

“Mamelodi Sundowns FC today announced it has terminated discussions with Al Ahly SC as the two clubs are too far from each other on the transfer fee for Gaston Sirino‚” Sundowns said on Monday.

“The good relations between the president of Al Ahly‚ Mr Mahmoud El Khatib, and the president of Mamelodi Sundowns‚ Dr Patrice Motsepe, will continue as well as the good relations between Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly, but there is no point or purpose in continuing the discussions on Gaston Sirino.

“Mamelodi Sundowns will continue releasing players to European‚ African and other football countries like it did for Percy Tau‚ Keagan Dolly‚ Bongani Zungu‚ Ivorian international Siaka Tiéné and other players, but the transfer fee must be competitive as Mamelodi Sundowns is consistently paying high and internationally-competitive transfer fees for the players it acquires.

“Gaston Sirino must now focus on his football and compete for a starting position at Mamelodi Sundowns.”

A distracted Sirino‚ who had said in press statements he hoped for a move to Al Ahly‚ has played just one cup game for Sundowns in 2020-21.