After Mamelodi Sundowns confirmed the signing of Lebo Mothiba on Monday, this website brings you the insight on whether the towering striker will be able to feature in the CAF Champions League.
Sundowns booked their spot in the CAF Champions League quarterfinals after finishing second in their group and have been drawn against Esperance de Tunis in the two-legged affair that will take place firstly in Tshwane on 1 April.
The second leg is in Tunis a week later.
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After Mothiba's signing was only confirmed on Monday by the club, questions have emerged on whether he will be able to feature in the Champions League, as the registration deadline was last week Friday, 28 February.
KickOff.com understands that the 29-year-old signed his contract - a short-term deal, with an option to extend - on Thursday 27 February, giving the Tshwane at least just over one day to register him before the deadline for CAF, which was extended to 28 February.
According to the CAF regulations, a club can register a maximum of 30 players during a particular season, within the two registrations periods, which are done on an online system.
However, for the second registration in the new year, clubs are allowed to register new players if they did not reach the maximum of 30 players in the previous registration period.
Clubs are also allowed to replace four players in the second registration period, if those four players did not feature in the CAF Champions League that season.
Furthermore, the registration of new players, under the condition that the club did not reach a maximum of 30 players in the previous transfer window, cannot exceed seven players.
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The Chloorkop-based side made four new signings in January, in Keanu Cupido, Lucas Suarez, Jayden Adams, and Matias Esquivel, who returned from loan at CA Talleres.
Given the flexibility of the rules, which were also changed to allow for players who featured for another team in the CAF inter-club tournaments in the same season - like Adams - to be eligible to play for a different club in the same campaign, Sundowns are believed to have had enough room to register Mothiba, after also signing him on time before deadline.