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Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues below<ul><li>Motupa is without a club after leaving Sundowns </li><li>He is currently training with SuperSport United </li><li>But club have no budget to sign him now </li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Gavin Hunt has poured cold water on former Mamelodi Sundowns star Gift Motupa's chance of playing for SuperSport United this season

Gift Motupa is one of the many players who have had failed moves to <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/premier-soccer-league/yv73ms6v1995b5wny16jcfi3" target="_blank">Premier Soccer League </a>defending champions<a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/bafana-coach-hugo-broos-shouldn-t-have-apologised-mamelodi-sundowns-rhulani-mokwena-is-a-spoiled-brat-fans/blt5d24d3fe25e3f36d" target="_blank"> Mamelodi Sundowns</a> as he was chucked out after a barren four seasons at Chloorkop.Motupa lives off the reputation of being one of the revered goal getters in Mzansi, but he is a long way from his most prolific stint of 23 goals in 50 matches for the now defunct Bidvest Wits. In his four years at The Brazilians the striker only managed to score three goals across just 22 appearances in all competitions.

WHAT HAPPENED?

At age 29, the gentle giant finds himself in the wilderness and had hoped that his former coach at Wits, Gavin Hunt, could be his saving grace.However, the SuperSport United mentor is not a bearer of good news, at least in the immediate future.SuperSport already passed on a couple of players because they could not afford them, such as <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/former-mamelodi-sundowns-kaizer-chiefs-forward-khama-billiat-arrives-in-zimbabwe-spotted-with-yadah-stars-fc-bosses/blta6024c2c01e31220" target="_blank">former Kaizer Chiefs duo Khama Billiat</a> and Eric Mathoho, who both trained with Matsatsantsa A Pitori but did not get the greenlight from the powers that be.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

"Gift is training with us but there is no money, no budget [to sign him]. He was overweight and had to lose some kilos. What happens is that they don't play for two years, out of condition and out on the side," <a href="https://www.snl24.com/soccerladuma/local/siyagobhoza/supersport-united-in-no-rush-to-sign-former-mamelodi-sundowns-striker-gift-motupa-20240220" target="_blank">Hunt was quoted as saying by Soccer Laduma</a>."He has been with us for about two weeks now, running hard. We are not going to do anything until the end of the season. We can't. Then we will readdress if there is an opportunity next season," he added.

WHAT HUNT SAID

"When you go to big clubs, the squads are competitive. You take a chance and go there for a lot of money and then you get yourself out and then you are right out and then you are just going to fall down the pecking order. There's no time when you go to the clubs. You've got to do the business," said Hunt."You've got to make a decision; prolong your career with less money or get bigger money and have a shorter career. In today's age, everybody wants more money so people won't think of football. It's not an abnormal thing."But the squads are far too big in South Africa and that's a problem. But obviously money is the big enticing factor," he added.

AND WHAT ELSE?

All is not lost for Motupa, given that Hunt is willing to work on him for the rest of the season, and if he is in good shape, SuperSport might be tempted to offer him a squad number for next season.However, the quality of the contract will depend on circumstances at the end of the campaign as United are in the running for the <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/2023-24-nedbank-cup-fixtures-venues-results-how-to-watch/bltc8565de2b61226dd" target="_blank">R7-million Nedbank Cup prize money</a> after reaching the last 16 and stand a good chance to finish second in the PSL, where they would bag another R7.5-million.However, Motupa will be able to distract himself from the problems in his playing career by turning his attention to the SAFA SAB League team he bought in Limpopo. The club, now named Thogoaneng United FC, are based in Ga-Chuene, Limpopo, where Motupa was born.

WHAT'S NEXT?

Gavin Hunt has poured cold water on former Mamelodi Sundowns star Gift Motupa's chance of playing for SuperSport United this season | Goal.com South Africa

Gift Motupa will have to wait for SuperSport United to make their checks and balances before they can afford to sign him.