Teko Modise: Mamelodi Sundowns signed Antonio Van Wyk for global ambitions

Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates midfielder Teko Modise says the club’s decision to sign Antonio Van Wyk was driven by its ambitions in international competitions rather than a desire to strengthen its position in the domestic league.

Sundowns brought Van Wyk back to South Africa ahead of the 2026/27 season after the winger had established himself with Austrian club SV Ried. The move prompted debate among supporters, with some questioning whether returning one of the country’s most promising overseas-based players to the Betway Premiership was the right decision for South African football.

Van Wyk had only recently begun his European career, and his performances for SV Ried had attracted attention before Sundowns secured his return. The transfer came as The Brazilians continued a recruitment strategy that has increasingly extended beyond the domestic market.

In recent seasons, the reigning African champions have demonstrated a willingness to sign players from abroad. Alongside their South American recruits, Sundowns have added footballers who were playing in Europe, including Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Nuno Santos and Reisinho.

That approach has helped fuel the club’s growing ambitions, but Van Wyk’s signing was viewed differently by some supporters. There is a widespread belief among South African fans that the more of the country’s leading players who remain in Europe, the greater the benefit to the national game. As a result, sections of the Sundowns support criticised the club for bringing the former Stellenbosch winger back to the local competition.

Modise, however, believes that criticism overlooks the level at which Sundowns are now seeking to compete. He argued that the club’s recruitment should be judged against its objectives in the FIFA Club World Cup and the CAF Champions League, rather than simply its pursuit of another domestic title.

“Look, I think as Sundowns that’s the criticism of signing players, it’s always going to be there. (But) Sundowns plays in the FIFA Club World Cup, Champions League, that’s the space,” Modise said on The Pitchside Podcast.

He said Van Wyk was signed to help Sundowns compete against leading teams from around the world, with the club aiming to progress further in major international tournaments.

“We’re not signing Van Wyk to win the league, we’re signing Van Wyk to (compete in) the FIFA Club World Cup. Just to educate the fans, look at Sundowns signings, we’re not focusing on dominating the local space, we want to dominate Africa.

“We saw last season we played against (Borussia) Dortmund and we want to go back into that space and be able to get further, quarter-finals, semi-finals, playing against (the likes of) Chelsea, this is top space, we’re signing these players to elevate the club and play in those type of spaces. Unfortunately some of the fans will not understand but Sundowns is a very ambitious club,” Modise added.

Sundowns played Borussia Dortmund in the previous season, an experience Modise used to illustrate the scale of the club’s international ambitions. The club now wants to return to that level and advance to the quarter-finals or semi-finals, where it could face teams such as Chelsea.

For Modise, Van Wyk’s arrival is therefore part of a broader plan to make Sundowns more competitive in Africa and on the global stage, rather than simply an attempt to dominate the South African league.