Stellenbosch coach Steve Barker says he is confident his club will not be selling many players in the off-season despite the constant linking of key midfielder Jayden Adams with a lucrative move to Mamelodi Sundowns.
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Stellenbosch will be competing in African club competition next season, for the first time, and Barker thinks the increasing prospects of the club will see players staying rather than going.
“I get asked this question over and over and over, and I never have a definitive answer because I don't know what the future holds,” said Barker when posed with a query over selling players in the off-season.
“But the better you become as a football club, winning cups and being second (in the league), players’ value goes up. So if clubs are going to want to come and look for players, I don't think it's going to be as easy as it was in the past.
“No 1, because from an economic and financial point of view, if you've got players sitting on the bench for Sundowns that were costing R40 million, what reason is it that Jayden Adams is not worth the same kind of money?
“So if Sundowns want him, then they have to dig deep in their pockets,” added Barker.
EUROPEAN MOVE
The Stellenbosch coach said Adams wanted to move to Europe.
“He is that the age where going to Europe would be better for him. So I would advise him to consider that rather than local.
“You don't want him going to Sundowns and ending up playing 13-14 league matches in the season.”
Barker said the stock of Stellenbosch players had vastly increased with their success this season.
The club won the Carling Knockout and reached the semifinals of both the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. They are also in pole position to finish second in the DStv Premiership when the league season ends next weekend.
“So we are confident that we can retain our squad. There may be a single situation that we would have to maybe consider. But right now, there is no talk, no offers. No one is for sale. Nothing whatsoever,” insisted Barker.