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Mamelodi Sundowns chairperson Patrice Motsepe hinted that the club had to break the bank to keep head coach Pitso Mosimane at Chloorkop for a further four years.
Mosimane's contract was lapsing this winter, with rumours doing the rounds that he was wanted by big north African clubs such as Egyptian perennial CAF Champions League challengers Al Ahly.
According to a report in KickOff last year, Mosimane was negotiating an increase to R1 million per month to renew his deal.
Without confirming the figures, though, Motsepe said Mosimane was worth every penny because of the success he has achieved not just domestically but continentally.
"Pitso is not competing for the South African league - he is of course - so you can't pay him what you pay South African coaches," Motsepe told journalists at the contract renewal announcement on Thursday.
"He is competing against the best on the continent and against the best in the world. That's why I'm saying you've got to go to the bank and say, 'Can you please extend my overdraft?'
"What Pitso earns, with the greatest amount of respect, is confidential [but] we learnt this not just in business but in football: we have to pay our people very well or else you will lose them. That's why I am happy that we were always fighting to keep our people because they make us better.
"Sometimes you cannot compete and sometimes you should not compete because you're then holding back somebody who could be getting an opportunity of a lifetime.
"But we cannot succeed without the best [people] in our country and on our continent."
Mosimane, 55, has built a dynasty at Sundowns, winning four Absa Premiership titles, CAF Champions League and Super Cup trophies as well as a slew of domestic trophies in just under eight years.
Before Covid-19 struck, Sundowns were still hot on Kaizer Chiefs' trail at the top of the Absa Premiership and were in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup.
The former 'Downs striker's next mission was to conquer Africa once more and take the team to the FIFA Club World Cup like he did in 2016 - a dream he shared with Motsepe.
"Jingles" admitted that there were offers that came for his signature, some within the country, which he refused to name, but he committed his future with "The Brazilians".
"Yes, offers have been there," Mosimane said on Velile Mnyandu's YouTube channel.
"I get offers all the time. I've had offers from here in South Africa, I'm telling you. I'm not gonna mention teams because some things are confidential. If people approach you, you're humbled but you don't get distracted.
"Steve Komphela once said don't envy your neighbour because they have something going on. Look after what you have and be happy with what you have.
"Stay where you are loved, where you feel good and where you are supported."
