Ugandan goalkeeper Watenga on Sundowns radar

Ugandan goalkeeper Ismail Watenga is close to signing a deal with SA Premiership team Mamelodi Sundowns, according to reports.

The 24-year-old is a free agent since leaving Ugandan Premier League outfit Vipers SC, after a failed attempt to join an Ethiopian first division club.

Sundowns, however, are already well-stocked in the goalkeeping department with current Ugandan captain Denis Onyango already at the club and Kennedy Mweene the first choice with the gloves. Sundowns are the defending SA Premiership champions and could loan out Watenga if the deal comes through.

“The deal is as good as done but he will be loaned out to gain playing time in one of the clubs in South Africa next season,” Kawowo Sports quoted an anonymous source.

Watenga made his national debut in 2014 and was part of the Ugandan team which competed in the Africa Cup of Nations that year. Uganda would go on to finish third in their group after beating Burkina Faso, drawing with Zimbabwe and losing to Morocco.

Since then, Watenga has made 19 appearances for Uganda.

When the SA premiership was halted last month due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, Sundowns were second on the log with 44 points from 21 games. Kaizer Chiefs lead the way on 48 points from 22 games.

South Africa is currently in lockdown until April 30, with 3465 reported cases of COVID-19, 58 deaths and 126 937 tests having been carried out.

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo