Sunday World .co.za has reported this morning that Arsenal may be set to to travel to Africa for a pre-season game in what is the first time that I can remember us doing so. Mamelodi Sundowns are to be the opposition according to the paper, with The Gunners following in the footsteps of Barcelona who have previously played the Sundowns as leading South African entrepreneur and club owner Patrice Motsepe looks to raise the brand of his club around the world. However, it is not confirmed yet, although apparently a “source” claimed that:
“The deal could not have been done had it not been for the new sponsorship agreement. If it’s done at that level, it’s almost certain that an announcement about this game will be made when Nike launches their sponsorship with Sundowns before the end of the season.”
But Sundowns official Mahlatse Mphahlele has told the paper that as yet he has not been told of the plans to host Arsenal this summer:
“I was surprised when enquiries about the match started flooding in,” said Mphahlele. “We have not finalised our pre-season programme, so there is nothing I can tell you at the moment. We are focussing on finishing the season on a high note and possibly winning the Nedbank Cup.”
Source: http://www.sundayworld.co.za/swzones/sundayworldNEW/sport/sport1209854976.asp
I don’t know how reliable this is as a source, but if its true, the amount of other pre-season friendlies already confirmed, with games against Stuttgart, Barnet, Huddersfield, Juventus and Real Madrid all made official, means that this game would perhaps be used in place of our normal annual Austrian pre-season camp.
