Cape Town - Tefu Mashamaite will not join MLS side New York City FC due to MLS regulations despite the club’s interest in the deal going through.
According to the player's agent, the club approached the MLS asking for permission to add another player (Mashamaite) to their squad for the season but the league rejected the request.
Mashamaite's agent Jazzman Mahlakgane told Sport24 that the collapsed deal had nothing to do with the club signing Colombian centre-back, Jefferson Mena.
The player was signed by the club at the beginning of the week and it was thought that the club would no longer be interested in Mashamaite but it now appears that the club intended to sign both defenders.
“The decision to sign the Colombian centre back was made long ago,” Mahlakgane told Sport24.
“What really happened is that they have got a budget that included the offer that we were discussing with them, but that offer was subject to the MLS approving it.
“The two incidents don’t go together, it was just a coincidence that they happened at the same time.
“Obviously the news only came to me at 02:00 so you can appreciate that I will need some time to sort out our plan B.”