With Mamelodi Sundowns set to compete in as many as seven competitions this season, Themba Zwane's participation in the most prestigious of all of those remains in doubt.
The Brazilians finally announced, on August 10, that the club's skipper had renewed his contract for one more season after it ended at the end of June.
Whilst it remained a mystery to many why the club took so long to tie arguably their most important player of the last decade, head coach Manqoba Mngqithi went on to offer an interesting perspective when asked why 'Mshishi' had only been handed a one-year extension considering his contribution.
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"I think it's the right thing to do, and everybody is free to make his opinion heard, but I think it's the right thing to do. Because for players a that age, it's important to keep them on their toes. I don't think it necessarily means he will be out of the club after one year, but for him to stay sharp, it's important that he knows he has to fight for the next contract," Mngqithi said in the post-match press conference following the 1-0 MTN8 victory over Polokwane City.
"And I think if all PSL teams can adopt that, it will be the best thing that we can do for our football because most of these senior players, they want to get a four-year contract because they know they are looking for retirement, and you want them to perform every week. And I think it's a good thing, and I think Mshishi is the right player for that because he is a very professional boy," added the 53-year-old.
Zwane's on-field influence had already started to wane last season, as he only started 14 league games under Rulani Mokwena, with the then head coach citing the player's age as necessitating the managing of his game-time.
That trend looks set to continue in what promises to be a long campaign for The Brazilians, who as usual have domestic and continental duties to juggle.
Just like has been this case prior to the start of this season, the club will be biding their time before deciding on his next deal.
Therein lies the rub.
With the Bafana Bafana midfielder's contract ending on 30 June, the FIFA Club World Cup gets underway 15 days prior.
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The player will want to have secured his future by then, which is not always a foregone conclusion with players on the wrong side of 30, as has been shown by the late renewal of his latest deal. Itumeleng Khune over at Kaizer Chiefs is another case in point.
While this could put pressure on Sundowns to wrap up negotiations for a new deal, it does also mean the possibility is very real that Zwane could well miss out on his second appearance at the 32-team tournament that will also be featuring the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Al Ahly.
By all accounts, among other factors, 'Mshishi' is playing for a contract that could see him rub shoulders with the who's who of the football world as his storied playing career slowly approaches its sunset.