The Portuguese connection: Sundowns secure another European talent

Mamelodi Sundowns’ new head coach, Miguel Cardoso, is wasting no time putting his stamp on the team. The Brazilians have officially confirmed the signing of Portuguese midfielder Miguel Reisinho, who joins the club as a free agent.

The 26-year-old is set to be unveiled in the coming days and will be the second Portuguese player to arrive at Chloorkop this season, following the arrival of his compatriot, Nuno Santos. Santos made his debut in Sundowns’ 1-0 defeat to Golden Arrows on Wednesday, a Betway Premiership match that also marked the club’s first loss of the season.

Cardoso, who was instrumental in the deal, emphasised the difficulty of securing such a high-calibre signing from Europe. “It was hard work. It was tough until the last moment [of the window],” said Cardoso.

“These kinds of players, with such quality, it’s not easy [to sign], and by the history, there’s not much history of players coming from Europe from such a level, entering South Africa.”

Sundowns Coach Reveals Challenges of European Signings

Reisinho’s arrival comes as a key part of Cardoso’s plan to rebuild the squad. Sundowns saw 14 players leave the club as part of a move to streamline the team and introduce more youthful talent. While the club has only made four new signings, including Reisinho, the focus has been on quality over quantity. The new additions are expected to provide the necessary depth and impact that the team has lacked in recent games.

Cardoso believes these new players will be crucial in improving the team’s ability to change games from the bench. “As you understand, in the beginning of the season, Sundowns always struggled in terms of substitutions; it was always difficult to reinforce the team from the bench,” he explained. “I think now we will be in a more comfortable position.”

Reisinho’s transfer, being a free agent, was able to be completed outside the official transfer window, a fortunate opportunity that Cardoso acknowledged. “Sometimes the market brings opportunities, and we were pretty lucky, with hard work from the club, and efforts to reinforce the team and become stronger.”

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