Mamelodi Sundowns’ stance on Bafana Bafana and Al Ahly forward Percy Tau has been revealed.
Tau cut his teeth as a professional footballer at Sundowns before moving overseas.
He has repeatedly spoken about his relationship with Downs coach Rulani Mokwena who played a massive role in his development.
Mokwena is now at the helm at Sundowns and has never hidden his admiration for the national team striker.
In fact, when Tau returned with Ahly to play Sundowns recently, Mokwena is said to have spoken glowingly to his players about the former Brighton star.
Tau was on the losing side as Ahly fell 5-2 to Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld. One of the goals came off the boot of the Witbank-born star, who skinned his national teammate Aubrey Modiba before slotting past Ronwen Williams.
After that game, the ‘Lion of Judah’ patiently waited for Mokwena in the tunnel before the two warmly embraced.
“Percy knows exactly what I think of him. After the game, in the end, I whispered to him. He waited in the tunnel,” Mokwena told journalists after that game.
A Sundowns source close to the two has revealed what Mokwena told Tau and the club’s stance on the 28-year-old attacker.
“Rulani told Percy Tau that Sundowns is his home and he’s always welcome if he wants to return,” the source told SN24.
Interestingly, Sundowns tried signing Tau in January, and at the time, the player was reportedly frustrated in Egypt, where he was struggling for action.
However, things have changed, and Tau seems to be enjoying himself. His upturn in form has also seen national team coach Hugo Broos return him to the national team.
Tau featured for Bafana against Liberia in the recent national team’s qualifiers against Liberia.
The source said Tau was seemingly content in Egypt, indicating that Coach Marcel Koller holds him in high regard.
“It’ll be difficult this time. He was frustrated and under pressure in January in Egypt, but things have changed in the last few weeks. They value him so much and won’t want to release him. But Sundowns will give it another try in the next transfer window,” added the source.
At the end of the current season, Tau will have one year left on his contract. He joined Ahly in August 2021 on a three-year deal that keeps him at the club till June 2024.
In 18 outings in a season ridden by injuries, he has scored five goals and provided two assists