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Cape Town - Looking ahead to the 2018 CAF Champions League, Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Pitso Mosimane plans to make some big signings in January.
Sundowns have lost some key players in the last year or so, including the likes of Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly and most recently Leonardo Castro, who signed for Kaizer Chiefs last weekend.
The 2016 Champions League winners only made it as far as the quarter-finals this year and are looking to mount a renewed challenge, Mosimane plans to make what could be crucial signings, especially considering they might part ways with some more players in the transfer window.
"We will lose two or three and we will bring in three or four. You have to understand that for us in January it's the preparation for the CAF Champions League that starts in February," he said after Tuesday night's league defeat to Cape Town City.
"We need three or four quality players that should bring the product a little bit up. We kept a few guys because of the Champions League and we knew that in December we have to shed them."
Mosimane admits that talisman Khama Billiat could potentially be one of those leaving the club, although he says several others have renewed their stays.
"Khama is the only one we have not sat down with but the others will stay. Themba Zwane has renewed his contract, it's just that we don't want to talk about it. [Tiyani] Mabunda has renewed, Bangaly [Soumahoro] will renew [on Wednesday] I think.
"Billiat is a story of [Mesut] Ozil, it’s the story of [Alexis] Sanchez," Mosimane continued.
"It is the way it is and we are open about it. We want him to stay, we want him to renew, but it's all up to him and he's not playing as well. How many games has he played this year, four-five? Hopefully he stays, we'd love him to stay. But if he decides to go, it's up to him."
