Ajax Cape Town clarify Mobara and Norodien transfers to Orlando Pirates

On Tuesday evening, Ajax released a statement regarding the transfers of Abbubakar Mobara and Riyaad Norodien to Pirates

Orlando Pirates  announced over a week ago that they had reached an agreement to sign Mobara and Norodien from Ajax Cape Town. 

Their current club, Ajax Cape Town, have since released the statement on its website to clarify the transfers of the two players.

The statement reads as follows:

A few months ago, it came to the attention of the CEO of Ajax Cape Town that Mobara had been approached by Mamelodi Sundowns regarding a potential move. The CEO immediately contacted Mamelodi Sundowns’ CEO, Sizwe Nzimande and notified him that a high-ranking employee of his club has been making contact with the player and that this should cease immediately as the player was currently contracted to Ajax Cape Town. He also advised him that should they be interested in the services of Mobara, they should contact him directly. 

In the meantime, interest in the two players had been expressed from Orlando Pirates six months prior and negotiations had started regarding the potential move for both Mobara and Norodien.  Once the deal had been concluded, approximately 10 days ago, it was agreed by both clubs that prior to negotiations regarding their personal terms could take place, the Ajax Cape Town CEO would call in the players/agent to advise them of the potential transfer. Ajax Cape Town contacted both players once the deal between the two clubs had been concluded.

Unfortunately, for reasons unknown to Ajax Cape Town, a media release by Orlando Pirates was made regarding the transfer of both players before any meeting was able to take place. Ajax Cape Town immediately tried to contact the players after this incident and managed to get hold of Norodien who agreed to come to the club the same morning to meet with the Ajax CEO. Although he was surprised that he got to know about his transfer through the media just before the CEO had called him, the CEO explained to him the circumstances relating to this and he accepted what had happened. He was very happy that the move to Orlando Pirates had materialised. He concluded all the formalities with Ajax Cape Town as required in the same meeting and the club then contacted Orlando Pirates to advise them to start their negotiations with him on his personal terms. 

All the while, Ajax, after numerous failed attempts to make contact with Mobara while on camp in Namibia with the national team, eventually made contact the same evening where the details of the proposed transfer were conveyed by the CEO to Mobara directly. After several telephonic discussions, Mobara informed the CEO that his potential move to Orlando Pirates was not his preferred destination but that Mamelodi Sundowns is where he wants to go.  Perhaps this was the result of the constant tapping of the player by Mamelodi Sundowns which now influenced his thinking (we were also informed by Mobara that he had not spoken to Orlando Pirates which was contrary to the information which we received from Pirates).

It is with these facts, that one can then piece the puzzle of the current state of affairs of Mobara’s’ potential move and all the negative media reports. Ajax Cape Town regrets that media reports aimed to attack the CEO of the club personally and to defame his good standing within the football industry. It is also regretful that the malicious articles also attempt to portray the reputation of Ajax Cape Town Football Club as a club with no morals and principles.

Having known Mobara since the age of 9, and after ensuring that Ajax nurtured his talents in the Ajax Youth Academy, we sincerely believe that Mobara would in no way bad mouth the club that made him the player that he is today.

Mamelodi Sundowns have reportedly held talks to sign Mobara, while Norodien previously hinted that he would relish signing for the Buccaneers. 

CREDIT TO:http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/4667/sa-psl/2016/06/29/25163142/ajax-cape-town-clarify-mobara-and-norodien-transfers-to