Lucas Ribeiro 'can't just terminate Mamelodi Sundowns contract' - Court of Arbitration for Sport lawyer insists which could mean no reprieve for Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates as tormentor in chief is fighting a losing battle against Masandawana

Lucas Ribeiro has been forcing a move from defending Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Initially, the 2024/25 CAF Champions League winners, Pyramids, were linked to the versatile attacker alongside Brazilian outfit Fluiminese.

Qatar SC are also keen to land the 26-year-old.  

Ribeiro has a running contract with Sundowns, who are aiming at winning the PSL for the ninth time in a row and delivering the CAF Champions League as well. 

In his argument, Ribeiro, who has escalated the issue to the FIFA Dispute and Resolution Chamber, referred to the Lassana Diara case.

Nevertheless, that can't work according to Court of Arbitration for Sport lawyer and former SAFA CEO Raymond Hack since the South American has a running contract with Sundowns. 

He further stated that the aforementioned case's precedent might not work as the player's lawyers think. 

“Sundowns are entitled to ask for whatever they want. He is a Sundowns player. Sundowns have developed him, taken him to the FIFA Club World Cup. So, at this stage, there is no figure that the DRC [Disputes Resolution Chamber] has determined as to what Sundowns can or can’t do,” he told SoccerBeat.
“Sundowns are as shocked as everyone else that the player has terminated the contract, and obviously, they will get their lawyers to dispute the player’s claims.   

"A player cannot just terminate his contract and say I am leaving tomorrow because another club wants to offer me more money, and if there is a case, then the club must pay what is due to Sundowns.”
“Unless Sundowns have told him you must not come to training, then he is in breach of contract, and until Sundowns issue a clearance, nobody can utilise his services," Hack continued." 

"If he wants to play in Qatar, only Sundowns can issue a clearance, or FIFA, if the DRC finds that Sundowns have breached the agreement. Here, the player says he has left the club, so Sundowns haven’t done anything wrong. I don't see on what basis the player would succeed [in this case], as good as [his] lawyer may be for the Bosman case, that was many, many years ago, there's been many cases since then.

"The player can't just terminate and say, 'I'm leaving tomorrow, because another club wants to offer me more money,' and if that's the case, the [interested] club must pay Sundowns what's due to Sundowns," he concluded.

In the six games Sundowns have played without Ribeiro across all competitions, they have managed to win half and drawn the other half, but on regulation time.  

It explains why they can't afford to lose the player since his quality is evident.