Why PSL top scorers can struggle to secure bigger moves, explains agent

Football agent Mike Makaab says a striker’s goalscoring record is only one part of the equation when South Africa’s leading forwards attempt to earn transfers to bigger clubs or move overseas.

AmaZulu forward Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya has made an outstanding start to the 2026/27 season, scoring 10 goals in his first 10 appearances across all competitions.

His form has renewed attention on the challenges faced by PSL strikers who finish among the league’s leading scorers but do not always secure career-defining transfers.

Golden Arrows forward Junior Dion scored 14 goals to become the top scorer in the Betway Premiership last season. Despite reported interest, he has yet to move to a bigger club.

Mwape Musonda, Rodney Ramagalela, Katlego Mashego and Tshegofatso Mabasa are among the other forwards who have found it difficult to turn prolific seasons into moves offering greater opportunities. Mabasa joined MAS Fes at a time when he was not even a regular.

Makaab, who represents Ngwenya, rejected the suggestion that the evaluation of strikers is necessarily a wider problem in South Africa.

“I don’t think so, I think it depends on each individual case. I don’t think it’s all related to strikers, but we all know that throughout the world there is a demand for goal-scorers,” Makaab told KickOff.

He said the complexity of transfers often comes from the differing expectations of the clubs and the player involved, particularly over the value of a deal and its potential impact on a career.

“If there is a club interested, there is always going to be three parties involved: the buying club that values the player at a certain level, the selling club that values the player at a certain level, and the player himself who is looking for a deal that will improve his career,” the experienced agent said.

“So it’s complicated, it’s never easy in any transfer, and when it gets to players who are in demand, it gets more difficult.”

The agent added that completing a transfer requires all three parties to reach an agreement, while the timing of the negotiations can be just as important as a player’s performances.

“It then takes a lot of perseverance, a lot of patience, a lot of understanding, for any deal to be done. But again, it’s all about timing. These deals, I believe, get done at the right time,” Makaab concluded.

Ngwenya’s early-season scoring run means he is now attracting attention as one of the PSL’s in-form forwards, but Makaab’s comments underline why goals alone do not guarantee an immediate move to a bigger club.