Mamelodi Sundowns' belief in attacker Abubeker Nasir may be tested when the January transfer window opens, with the Ethiopian returning after missing 65 matches from last season.
Nasir finally returned to the Brazilians' matchday squad against AmaZulu after a one-minute cameo appearance in stoppage time but had a much more minutes, 26, off the bench, in the subsequent CAF Champions League outing against Pyramids.
For the Ethiopian to feature in such a high intensity game is credit to the Sundowns' conditioning department, after he missed 65 games in close succession since his ankle injury last season.
The 23-year-old has been unfortunate with long-term injuries, as he showed glimpses of his talent, with four goals in the 2022/23 season despite being limited to only 14 appearances.
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Last season alone, Nasir missed 34 games due to injury and after Sundowns' participation in the inaugural African Football League, he missed a further 25 matches for Rulani Mokwena's charges before his recent return.
The Ethiopian's return could have an impact on Sundowns' transfer plans, as they have been in market for strikers and the need for more options upfront became more evident after they did not have direct replacements for Peter Shalulile and Lucas Ribeiro Costa, who were injured for virtually the whole of the AFL tournament and only featured in the final second-leg against Wydad Casablanca.
Masandawana having a hectic schedule could give Nasir a lifeline, as they can ease him into games but there is a question mark on whether he can still deliver consistently, with rumours that the Tshwane giants are open to letting him go out on loan to get game time.
The Brazilians will have a big decision to make on the Ethiopian, if they get their striker targets in the January transfer window, especially if they would need to free up a foreign spot.
Sundowns have five games more to play before they close for the year, where it could be a make or break time for Nasir.