AMAZULU are racing against time to keep hold of their star goalkeeper Veli Mothwa.
Mothwa’s two-year contract will expire on 30 June.
The 30-year-old will be eligible to sign a pre-contract with a club of his choice in January, after he joined Usuthu in November 2020 from Chippa United.
He was a key member last season as Usuthu finished as runners-up in the DStv Premiership to qualify for the Caf Champions League after the club appointed Benni McCarthy as coach.
Mothwa has continued to impress in goal for Usuthu this season. He has kept seven clean sheets in 17 league matches, and one clean sheet in four Champions League matches.
But Usuthu president Sandile Zungu is not overly concerned about the future of Mothwa, saying he will be with the club next season.
“We value Veli and any other players. Usuthu fans should not be worried about the player’s contract,” said Zungu. “Veli is a very important player for us and he has done amazing things and he’s injured right now.
“The same goes for Siyethemba Sithebe and Siphesihle Maduna, these are very important players for us. Right now they are still our players and we will only release them with good authority.”
Sithebe’s contract will also expire in June. He has been heavily linked to Kaizer Chiefs. However, Maduna’s contract will only expire at the end of next season.
Mothwa’s form resulted in him earning a Bafana Bafana call up from national coach Hugo Broos in March for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers against Ghana and Sudan.
Although he didn’t play in those matches, he helped Bafana win the Cosafa Cup in July, keeping a clean sheet in all matches.
He has since been called up by Broos, although he has been playing second fiddle to Ronwen Williams.
