Why is Khuliso Mudau not playing? Miguel Cardoso explains absence of Bafana Bafana defender despite star training with Mamelodi Sundowns teammates - 'He is solving all his issues with the club'

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has explained why Bafana Bafana defender Khuliso Mudau is yet to play for the Premier League side.

The tactician has revealed that the defender's camp and the club are still working to resolve the issues, which are understandably centred around the player's contract, and he expects the matter to be concluded soon.

“Khuliso is solving all his issues with the club; he’s training fantastically. We are absolutely sure that pretty soon he’s going to be able to help,” Cardoso told the press.

“He is willing to help, and people in charge of the club will take it with the right responsibilities, with the right commitment and with the right intention to put Khuliso Mudau in the service of the team," he added.

“We are absolutely working together on everything, and Khuliso is training very well, and there were a few issues – most of them are already solved, so the expectation is that pretty soon he can help."

Although Cardoso is keen to integrate Mudau into the team, he says he cannot do that until he is satisfied that the experienced defender's fitness level is at the required level.

“But also, you need to understand that Khuliso came from a period when he was training alone, and you cannot put an international player, a Bafana Bafana player, exposed to a match when he's not still able to perform at the level that people want to see him," he explained.

“So, there’s a step to make on it. A gradient progress that we need to give him so that he arrives on time, and he, Mudau, is there.

“I don’t want people to see a player on the pitch where people ask, ‘Who is that guy? He doesn’t look like Khuliso.’ No. I want him to, when he enters, be flying.”

Mudau had been linked with an exit from the Tshwane giants, as reports indicated he was willing to join clubs outside the country.

Among the clubs the experienced right back had been linked with was Tunisia's Esperance.

He is yet to feature for the PSL defending champions and started training with the team some weeks ago.