Premier Soccer League clubs are estimated to have spent north of R200m in market activity during the transfer window that closed last week.
This figure excludes free transfers, which most PSL clubs prefer as they are able to negotiate a signing-on fee directly with the player’s representatives.
According to one of South Africa’s top football agents who spoke to the Sunday Times on condition of anonymity, a number of factors drive the determination of transfer fees, which are always difficult to calculate because most deals, especially the local ones, are not made public.
“Transfer fees and related revenue are driven by a number of factors, including but not limited to the following: demand for the player; age of the player; position of the player; years remaining on player’s contract; structure of the deals; and future sell-on fees,” said the agent.
While Mamelodi Sundowns continue to be the biggest spenders by far, other PSL clubs, including Stellenbosch FC, were not afraid to splash out cash to reinforce their squads.
Sundowns’ R63m record signing of Brazilian attacker Arthur Sales from Belgian club Lommel SK was the highest amount paid by a local club for one player, surpassing the entire transfer fees spent by other clubs.
While Sales’ transfer fee became public knowledge when it was revealed by website transfermarkt.co.za, the amounts paid by Sundowns for other players, including Stellenbosch FC striker Iqraam Rayners, were never disclosed.
"Sundowns must have paid R15m for Rayners; R17m for Kobamelo Kodisang (Moreirense); and R5m for Asekho Tiwani (Sekhukhune United)," estimated the agent.
Sundowns also signed defender Kegan Johannes from SuperSport United. Excluding Johannes, for whom Downs paid cash in a deal that included right-back Nyiko Mobbie going to United, Sundowns spent well over R120m, half the combined figure spent by other PSL clubs.
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are always expected to be behind Downs in spending. But Steve Barker’s Stellies came close to what these giants spent as they had to replace Rayners and their former skipper and right-back Deano van Rooyen, who went to Pirates.
Pirates are estimated to have splashed out R10m on Angolan striker Gilberto; R8m on Van Rooyen and R5m on Thalente Mbatha, with a total estimate of around R25m excluding a few players they signed as free agents — leaving them a distant number two to Sundowns.
Chiefs had two of their main signings, midfielder Gaston Sirino and Angolan defender Inacio Miguel as free agents, which makes it harder to estimate exactly how much they spent.
Having gone all out to get a high profile technical team headed by Tunisian Nasreddine Nabi, Amakhosi added reinforcements to their ensemble. But they forked out an estimated R7.5m on Rwandan goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, signed from TS Galaxy; R3m for leftback Bradley Cross from Lamontville Golden Arrows; and R8m for Rushwin Dortley, the left-footed centre-back who came in from relegated Cape Town Spurs.
In total, Chiefs are speculated to have spent around R20m on the three players, but that figure could be far more depending on the signing-on fees they negotiated with Sirino and Miguel.
Stellies were very savvy in their dealings, managing to bring an enterprising attacker like Sanele Barns on a free transfer from Richards Bay. But the Winelands outfit had to part with significant cash to bring Lehlogonolo Mojela (R4m) from TS Galaxy; Ashley Cupido (R8m) and Chumani Butsaka (R5m), both from Cape Town Spurs.
Like Chiefs, Stellies are speculated to have spent far more than the R17m they dished out for Mojela, Cupido and Butsaka as they have a couple of players who came as free agents, including Barns and former Sundowns defender Brian Onyango.
Other PSL clubs that were busy include SuperSport, Sekhukhune United and Cape Town City, but most of their new recruits arrived as free agents.
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