Monnapule Saleng’s future at Mamelodi Sundowns: What to expect?
Monnapule Saleng’s move to Mamelodi Sundowns offers a promising opportunity for the 27-year-old winger to overcome past challenges, including mental health issues and a tumultuous 2025, as he joins Africa’s richest club. Picture: BackpagePix
Image: BackpagePix
Whenever a piece of news drops about Monnapule Saleng, it tends to raise a few eyebrows, and with the confirmation over the weekend that he would be moving to Mamelodi Sundowns, it was no exception.
To say the 27-year-old Orlando Pirates player experienced a tumultuous 2025 is something of an understatement.
The winger did not play for over six months, with a rumoured fallout with management and coach Jose Riveiro.
The reason for his absence from the team was never divulged, although the Pirates documentary Giants, which aired on SuperSport, showed that the youngster could have had problems with his mental health.
Saleng’s Journey: From Loan to Richest Club in Africa, Addressing Mental Health and Contractual Clarifications
The issue was dismissed out of hand during a locker room talk with Riveiro, and that was as much insight as the public ever got into the issue.
Saleng was subsequently loaned out to Orbit FC, and though he finally got some game time, his performances did not make headlines.
Now, Saleng is heading to the richest club, not just in South Africa but on the entire continent.
If he still does have lingering mental health issues, you would have to believe Sundowns will be more than willing to make every resource available to Saleng.
While there were also rumoured to be contractual issues between Saleng and Pirates over his salary, his agent said this was not the case after he was loaned out to Orbit College.
Saleng’s agent, Karabo Tshabuse of P-Management Sport, said on the Behind the Boot podcast: “We see Monnapule Saleng saying ‘I’m not okay’ in that Giants [Pirates] documentary show. That is already an answer in itself that it was a season where mental fitness did not match physical fitness.
“There was no contractual issue with Saleng and Orlando Pirates. Orlando Pirates and Saleng brokered a very good deal, and a deal that helped Saleng achieve a multitude of things, including buying property.”
For Saleng and Sundowns then, it certainly seems it could potentially be a great partnership and may just give him the chance to shine again.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
** JOIN THE CONVERSATION: Send us an email with your comments, thoughts or responses to iolletters@inl.co.za. Letters should be a maximum of 500 words, and may be edited for length. Anonymous correspondence will not be published. Submissions should include a contact number and physical address (not for publication).