Mamelodi Sundowns are said to be exploring the possibility of a sensational reunion with Lucas Ribeiro Costa, who is officially a free agent after his short-term deal with Spanish Segunda División side Cultural y Deportiva Leonesa expired at the end of June.
Leonesa confirmed Ribeiro as one of 14 players leaving the club following their relegation to the Spanish third tier, thanking him for his “professionalism and dedication” during his time in León.
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The Brazilian playmaker made 31 appearances for the club in a difficult debut campaign, scoring six goals and registering two assists before a mass squad clearout at the end of the season.
A controversial road to Spain
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.
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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.
Life after Sundowns
Ribeiro’s numbers at Masandawana remain the benchmark against which any European return was always going to be judged. He made 88 appearances for Sundowns after signing from Belgian side Beveren in 2023, scoring 37 goals and providing 23 assists, and picked up the PSL Golden Boot, Footballer of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season awards along the way. His goal against Borussia Dortmund at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup earned him the tournament’s Goal of the Tournament honour.
Replicating that form in Spain proved difficult. Leonesa endured a mixed campaign that ended in relegation, though Ribeiro did enjoy a late-season upturn, winning a Player of the Month award in November as reports of interest from clubs including Raja Casablanca began to circulate. He was measured in his public comments at the time, saying decisions about his future would be left to his agent while he focused on helping Leonesa’s survival bid.
Where things stand
With his contract now expired, Ribeiro has returned to Brazil, where he has kept busy organising a community tournament in his hometown of Santa Helena. His next destination remains undecided, with Al Ittihad Tripoli — where he would be reunited with former Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena — previously reported as the frontrunners, alongside interest from Esperance Sportive de Tunis and several clubs in Egypt.
Any Sundowns move would represent a striking turnaround given the acrimony of his 2025 departure, and would likely draw scrutiny given the still-pending tribunal case between the two parties.
Sundowns have not issued any public statement addressing renewed interest in the player, but iDiski Times understands the possibility of a return has not been ruled out, with the player also said to be open to the idea due to the current uncertainty around his immediate future, with club’s unwilling to invest due to the looming outcome of the legal battle.