Pitso rebuffs claims he wants to poach Sirino

Pitso Mosimane insists that he would not advise his United Arab Emirates team Al Wahda, to approach Mamelodi Sundowns for the services of out-of-favour midfielder Gaston Sirino as "he doesn’t have a price tag".

Sirino, who joined Sundowns in 2018 under Mosimane, is unsettled at Masandawana this season with rumours that he handed in a transfer request.

But Mosimane was quick to dismiss suggestions Wahda would bid for the Uruguayan, adding they have not approached Sundowns.

“I don’t want to talk about Sirino, because this annoys me so much. If we want Sirino we’d go to Mamelodi Sundowns,” Mosimane told the media during the unveiling of Pitso Mosimane multipurpose sports court at Lofentse Girls High School in Soweto on Tuesday. The project was initiated by cup sponsors Nedbank and the unveiling was attended by sports minister Zizi Kodwa, Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi and PSL chairman Irvin Khoza among others.

“There has been a lot of talk, but are Sundowns prepared to sell Sirino? I don’t know, Sundowns don’t need money to sell Sirino. So sometimes these things are a lost cause, why do you go there?”

Mosimane confirmed that while he was with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, he wanted to sign Sirino, but they were met with a cold shoulder from Sundowns.

“We approached them [Sundowns] and we never got the price,” he said.

“So, if a player doesn’t have a price, how do you buy? Everyone has a price, [Kylan] Mbappe you know is $200m (about R3.8bn), you know that.

“I don’t want to go into the same set-up where I advised Al Ahly to get Sirino. We approached Sundowns straight to the office and he didn’t have a price, he still doesn’t have a price. We don’t buy players that don’t have a price and there are no negotiations.

“So it’s a lie and allegation that Al Wahda want Sirino, or people are tapping up Sirino. No, remember they said we want [Thembinkosi] Lorch, we want [Peter] Shalulile, I’m always in the middle of all these things and if we want them we’ll approach the teams.

If Sirino is available and has a price, Mosimane added maybe that’s when they may approach Sundowns.

“I know he’s not playing, he’s disgruntled, or probably they don’t want him. He’s dropped out of the team, but it’s not for me to use that opportunity."

The 32-year-old, who still has two years remaining on his Sundowns contract, is yet to make an appearance this season.