Former Sundowns winger Phakamani Mahlambi is being linked with a return to South African football with Lerumo Lions FC reportedly exploring a move for the free agent.
The 28-year-old, who has been without a club since leaving Mamelodi Sundowns in July 2022, is listed as in talks over a potential switch from free agency to the ambitious Lerumo Lions setup, according to data compiled on 10 March 2026. The probability of the deal remains unspecified, with the move currently rated only as “?” in terms of likelihood.
Johannesburg-born Mahlambi, a right-footed right winger standing at 1.72m, was once regarded as one of South Africa’s brightest attacking prospects, rising through the Transnet School of Excellence and Bidvest Wits youth system before breaking into the Wits first team in 2015. His form earned him a high-profile move to Egyptian giants Al Ahly in 2017, where his market value peaked at around €500,000 and later rose to €600,000 following his transfer to Sundowns in 2018.
Loan spells at AmaZulu and Chippa United followed as he searched for regular game time in the South African top flight. By early 2022 his value had dipped to €350,000, and after his contract with Sundowns expired and he slipped into free agency, his listed market value declined further, eventually being logged as €0 by March 2024. The latest rumour data does not assign a current market value, underlining the uncertainty around any potential fee or wage package, though as a free agent no transfer fee would be required.
There are no recent competitive match details recorded for Mahlambi in the current dataset, highlighting how long he has been out of the professional spotlight, but a move to Lerumo Lions FC would offer the South African a platform to revive a once-promising career and rebuild both reputation and market value if the transfer materialises.
