Mamelodi Sundowns forward Abubeker Nassir is battling to recover from a career-threatening injury but has all the support from the club, according to head coach Rulani Mokwena.
The Ethiopia international joined Sundowns in February 2022 but remained on loan at Ethiopia Coffee where his exploits had him regarded as a generational talent in East Africa.
His searing pace, dribbling and goal-scoring ability had several top clubs across the continent vying for his services but injuries have curtailed his meteoric rise, with just four goals in 17 games so far over the past two years.
“Nasir, the club will make an announcement, but he has a very difficult injury, very complicated injury, sustained in the Pirates game in the duel against [Siyabonga] Mpontshane and he hasn’t recovered [properly],” Mokwena confirmed.
“He’s struggling to recover, which is a bit unfortunate, you know when you use the term career-threatening? That type of situation with Nasir is really career-threatening and he needs all the support we can give him.
“He’s at a good club that looks after its players, and so he’s in the right place and hopefully we will see him back sooner rather than later.”
There have been suggestions Nasir has been de-registered as one of the five foreign players for their DStv Premiership season to accommodate Matias Esquivel, something Mokwena refused to confirm nor deny.
“The club will make an announcement, that one is moved off my table, so it’s more for the club to deal with – and I think a lot of you have direct contact [in the club], I see a lot of the sources, sources in the club say,” he stated.
“So maybe it’s just to make a call to the sources in the club to get a little bit more, a better answer but I’m not in a position to give an answer on that.”
