Will the Chilean Football Association lure Allende out of the Sundowns?



A reliable source told this publication that the Chilean Football Federation is planning to poach Marcelo Allende from the Mamelodi Sundowns as they believe their budding star is in the wrong league.

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For some reason, the Chilean Football Federation wants the 23-year-old to do his thing in Europe so he can “show his talent” to bigger teams.

Allende, who unexpectedly preferred the Sundowns to offers in Brazil and small teams in Europe, was part of the Chile national team and also represented that country’s junior teams.

“It will be an uphill battle because the association wants to intervene,” the source said.

“But the Sundowns paid good money for him and he is considered one of their highest paid players.”

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“The player has an agent who saw fit to transfer Allende to South Africa, but now the FA seems to have managed to get him to agree to make Allende a bigger team than the Sundowns,” the source added.

Allende reportedly joined the Sundowns for a fee estimated at around R50m and the midfield maestro has had plenty of playing time since Rulani Mokwena was named sole head coach last October.

Before joining the Sundowns, the 23-year-old spent three seasons with Montevideo City.