Ugandan goalkeeper Ismail Watenga could be set to leave South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns FC after recent contract extension talks were put on hold, Footy-Africa can exclusively confirm.
The 30-year-old, whose contract with the 2016 African champions expires on June 30, had entered negotiations and was close to reaching an agreement before suffering a serious ACL injury to his right knee while on international duty. The injury occurred during Uganda’s 1–1 draw with The Gambia. Watenga is scheduled to undergo surgery and is expected to be sidelined for over a year.
Watenga has spent the past two seasons on loan at fellow South African side Lamontville Golden Arrows FC. Although he has been on Mamelodi Sundowns’ books for five seasons, he has never featured for them competitively, having spent all those years out on loan—including stints at Chippa United and Marumo Gallants in the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
An exclusive source at Global Sports Agency, which represents the player, revealed that the club is now monitoring the severity of the injury before making a final decision on the future of the negotiations.
“That injury against Gambia has complicated the entire situation, because the negotiations were positive—it was just a matter of when, not if. They (Mamelodi Sundowns) want to fully assess the situation before deciding whether to continue talks. If he’s ruled out for a year, they’ve decided not to proceed,” the source exclusively told Footy-Africa.
Before joining Mamelodi Sundowns in 2020, Watenga—whose Transfermarkt valuation stands at €250,000—played for Kenya Premier League side Sofapaka FC, Ethiopia’s Buna FC, and six-time Uganda Premier League champions Vipers SC.
With the Uganda national team, the Cranes, Watenga—who made his debut in 2014—has earned 30 competitive caps. If ruled out for more than eight months, he will miss the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in Morocco.
