With Monnapule Saleng and his club Orlando Pirates involved in a legal battle, KickOff had a discussion with a sports law expert based on what is known about the situation.
With Saleng not appearing for Pirates since last year in early December, his representatives only released a statement on Sunday, stating thus: "This matter involves significant issues at the core of the employer-employee relationship that require resolution.
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"Our client remains committed to addressing these matters through the appropriate legal and professional channels," the statement from P Management Sports read, in part.
After consistent reports suggested the player is unhappy with his current salary package and with his contract allegedly expiring in June 2025, with Bucs having an option, this website spoke to an Attorney familiar with PSL player contracts, on what could the issue be in such a situation.
"If Pirates have an option and on that option they had said (for example), 'You're earning R70, 000 at the beginning and you will be earning R150, 000 upon exercising the option', that's where there could be a problem," Mpho Nkontlha of Nkontlha Attorneys, a commercial and sports law firm, explained to KickOff.com.
"Because when you sign a contract, for example, they will say the first year is R70, 000, the second year is R80, 000, and the third year is R90, 000.
"And they put an option of one year or two years and say, 'We're going to pay you R150, 000', but that R150, 000 was negotiated three years ago before you have to prove yourself.
"Now that option, if it has money, the club has to be convinced to amend it and say, 'Okay, now we'll pay you R300, 000 upon exercising the option'. If there was money on that option, then the club will have to exercise it without you," continued the legal expert.
Nkontlha, who is also a licensed FIFA agent, revealed that a player in such a scenario as it alleged about Saleng can terminate the contract, even if the club has an option, on grounds of 'just cause'.
"You should not negotiate the terms of the extension three years ago because you don't know where you will be, but now if they negotiated the money for the extension and Pirates want to continue with what they foresaw three years ago, unfortunately the player is a different player.
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"So, I would say (advise) he goes to training, he shows the club the respect, he finishes the contract and nothing stops him at the end of the season if he's not happy with the option to terminate.
"If he terminates, he will be terminating with a just cause, to say, 'I'm underpaid, I cannot be earning this amount'.
"If he wants to stay at Pirates and Pirates continue to allegedly underpay him, then he's prejudicing himself. Nothing stops him from terminating the contract, even though Pirates allegedly have an option," says the Tshwane-based Nkontlha.