Has Miguel Cardoso found Lucas Ribeiro's replacement amid Mamelodi Sundowns' star's absence? - 'He’s giving a good answer; he’s doing very well'

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has praised Arthur Sales, who is tipped to be Lucas Ribeiro's successor should the Brazilian star leave the Premier Soccer League heavyweights.

Ribeiro is yet to feature for Masandawana this season, and in his absence, Cardoso has fallen back on Sales.

While stating that he is not the right person to clarify Ribeiro's situation, Cardoso chose to praise Sales.

“Nobody should compare any player that will play right winger, or whatever position he is, out or in field – nobody should compare two players; you cannot make a [duplicate] of one player who is not at the moment with the team,” Cardoso said, as quoted by iDiski Times.

“I don’t think it’s up to me to give answers to the question of Lucas; for sure, in the proper time, he will know everything that has happened with him – but regarding Arthur? He’s giving a good answer; he’s doing very well.

The former Esperance head coach also said he is impressed by Sales' development and is hopeful that the forward will give the team what it wants going forward.

"He’s showing dynamism, he’s showing what the team wants in that position, and he’s bringing his game to help the team, and as I said, nobody should expect one player to replace another – it’s just one player who is playing the same position as another player," he added.

“So the game will become different, but we will have to use the characteristics that we have from Arthur. He is showing – that he’s being better and better, match after match – so let’s hope he can stabilise his performance at a very high level as a player we trust.”

Ribeiro's continued absence has raised speculation over his future even more. Since the FIFA Club World Cup ended, the Brazilian has been linked with a number of clubs.

He is understood to be outside the country, with his possible destination reported to be Qatar SC.

In his absence, Arthur Sales has been trusted, and the forward has not disappointed. Since he was signed from SK Lommel, Sales has scored 10 goals and provided 12 assists in 45 games for the PLS giants.

Given his performance for Masandawana and his high-profile status at the club, his absence will continue to be questioned until it is confirmed that he is leaving or staying.

If he will indeed leave, as per the transfer rumours, then Cardoso's primary objective is to find an alternative that would be equally dependable, like the 2024/25 Player of the Season.