Mamelodi Sundowns join Kaizer Chiefs in Iqraam Rayners chase!

Mamelodi Sundowns are believed to have entered the race to sign Iqraam Rayners from Stellenbosch FC alongside rivals Kaizer Chiefs.

Rayners has had yet another fantastic season and currently leads the golden boot race, attracting both Chiefs and Sundowns. 

Despite already cruising in the DStv Premiership, Sundowns were the most active side in the January window. The Brazilians already had a nine-point gap on second-placed Cape Town City, with three games in hand at the time. That did not stop them from pursuing a squad boost ahead of the second half of the season. Of course for them, they also have to factor in continental commitments with hopes of a Club FIFA World Cup. They eventually beat Chiefs to be crowned league champions. 

But with next prospects of even more competition next season, they forayed into the market. 

Sundowns went and signed the Likes of Zukho Mdunyelwa and Matias Esquivel. Then, when everybody thought that they had strengthened enough, they added Thembinkosi Lorch and Tashreeq Matthews. The Rulani Mokwena-led side is showing no signs of slowing down on the transfer market ahead of next season. The South African News already understands that Masandawana has wrapped up a deal to sign Jayden Adams from Stellenbosch FC.

Sundowns join Chiefs in chase for Rayners

Now, according to Soccer-Laduma, that is not the only Stellenbosch player they’re chasing. According to the publication, Sundowns have joined Chiefs in the race to sign Rayners. 

“Stellenbosch FC head coach Steve Barker says he hopes the club’s recent success manages to fend off the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns from signing red-hot Iqraam Rayners and his Stellies teammates.” Said the publication. 

Stellies coach Steve Barker has explained how he hopes to keep Rayners away from Sundowns and Chiefs. 

How Stellies plan to keep them out

“It is always a tough one, but I do believe we are starting to become a club and playing ourselves into position where you know, I think players in the past may have seen us as a team that is maybe not able to compete, not able to win trophies, maybe not able to play in Africa. “But when you start getting yourself into position, where you’re competing at the back end of tournaments and the high end of the log table, you know as a player you’ve got to be really thinking clearly of where your career wants to go. So I’m trusting that this group of players that we have, we can retain and keep because I believe if we can, then we can continue to be competitive both locally as well as abroad,” he said as per the same publication. 

Will Stellenbosch be able to retain Rayners, keeping him away from Sundowns or Chiefs?