NOTABLE ABSENTEE Orlando Pirates' Monnapule Saleng remains absent amidst contract negotiation rumours, as unresolved wage disputes stir speculation about his future at the club. Photo by Phill Magakoe / AFP
Image: Phill Magakoe / AFP
With still no official news on Monnapule Saleng at Orlando Pirates, it has led to even more speculation about his future at the Betway Premiership club.
Kickoff reported over the weekend that Saleng’s absence at the club could be due to an ‘option’ in the player’s contract at the club.
Mpho Nkontlha of Kkontlha Attorney told Kickoff exclusively that “an option is a common law clause that is inserted in a contract by a football club in order to safeguard its interests.
“Both the FIFA Statutes and regulations of the status and transfer of players are silent on application and interpretation of an option to renew.”
It comes down to a likely wage dispute, Nkontlha suggested, as Saleng’s salary would have been negotiated at the beginning of his contract, but a couple of years later, the player could be worth more.
Negotiating a better salary for Saleng could prove difficult according to the terms of his original contract, and if this is the case, it could explain why the 27-year-old has not featured for Pirates this year.
Last week, it emerged that Saleng’s future at Pirates could be linked with coach Jose Riveiro.
Riveiro’s three-year contract ends on June 30, and it would be almost a foregone conclusion that the Spaniard renews his deal given his results with the club.
According to a Soccer Laduma source, getting Saleng back into the Pirates team could be one of the top priorities for Riveiro: “He [Saleng] was one of the first names on the coach’s lineups. It is without a doubt that he is one of the players whose talent the coach admires. The coach would love to have him in his team again, even if it's beyond this season.”
Two weeks ago, Riveiro spoke about the Saleng issue for the first time. Even though he did not reveal much, reading between the lines gave some good insight into the situation.
“I don't think about players when we win or when we don't win. I think no one would like to be in this situation when we started the season, but it is what it is,” said Riveiro.