Kenyan international Brian Onyango Mandela is set to leave South African giants Mamelodi Sundowns at the end of June, when his contract expires, according to SABC Sports.The former Tusker central defender joined Sundowns four years ago as a free agent, a signing that took many by surprise considering Onyango had not played football for more than a year after getting injured while at Maritzburg United.But the 29-year-old ended up enjoying four seasons at Chloorkop and picking up the same number of DStv Premiership titles as well as the CAF Champions League, becoming the first Kenyan to win the accolade with the South African side.##NAJAVA_MECA_8158888##However, his last years at the club saw him come to loggerheads with the Sundowns fans, who at one point showed their pleasure at the former Posta Rangers man, forcing coach Rulani Mokwena to come in his defence following the encounter with the boo-boys.“Some of the fans who are booing Brian Onyango for his mistakes, if you were to follow them in their own professional space, you will pick up so many mistakes. As human beings, why are we punished when we make mistakes? I make more mistakes than Brian Onyango ever makes but he knows that I love him and I support him. He has my backing 100 per cent because he also protects me all the time,” the coach said after Sundowns beat Sekhukhune United 2-1 in April.Onyango made a total of 61 appearances in all competitions across the league as well as the CAF inter-clubs and was even recalled to the Harambee Stars team in 2023 after a lengthy absence on the international stage.Harambee Stars to discover 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers opponents in JulyHowever, during the season that has just ended, Onyango was a bit of a player, with a mere nine matches to his name, with three of those coming in the DStv Premiership.Sundowns are expected to make a formal announcement when Onyango’s contract officially lapses at the end of the month.He left Kenya in 2012 while turning out for Tusker and linked up with Santos, where he made 48 appearances and scored three times between 2012 and 2015 before jumping on the Maritzburg ship in 2015 and going ahead to turn out 77 times for the club, scoring 8 times.Mamelodi Sundowns coach stands by Brian Mandela amid fan criticism
