Former Mamelodi Sundowns winger Lucas Ribeiro Costa is set to join Tunisian giants Esperance de Tunis.
Sundowns had explored a potential return of Ribeiro after his exit from Cultural Leonessa, but it seems Taraji have won the race for his signature.
This publication understands, Ribeiro is expected to land in Tunisia on Tuesday and will put pen to paper on a three-year deal.
The Brazilian playmaker made 31 appearances for his Spanish club in a difficult debut campaign, scoring six goals and registering two assists before a mass squad clearout after their relegation at the end of the season.
Ribeiro’s arrival in Europe was itself the product of one of South African football’s most significant legal battles in recent memory.
He terminated his Sundowns contract — which had been due to run until 2028 — in August last year, with his representatives at Belgian law firm Dupont-Hissel invoking the Diarra ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union to argue he was entitled to walk away and secure an International Transfer Certificate without Sundowns’ consent.
Sundowns and the South African Football Association initially opposed the certificate’s issuance, but FIFA ultimately granted it, clearing Ribeiro to sign for Leonesa on 31 August. At the time, FIFA’s press communication on the matter noted that the merits of the underlying dispute between Ribeiro and Sundowns would still be heard separately by the FIFA Football Tribunal, with such proceedings typically taking one to two years to resolve.
That case remains unresolved. Reports earlier this year indicated the outstanding tribunal matter had already complicated at least one of Ribeiro’s transfer pursuits, with Libyan club Al Ittihad said to have paused talks pending clarity on his legal standing.
However, it now seems Ribeiro will join ES Tunis, which is seen as a major coup for the four-time CAF Champions League winners.