Mosimane talks up Dos Santos

Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane compares Ricardo dos Santos to Thabo Nthethe.
Pitso Mosimane compares Ricardo dos Santos to Thabo Nthethe. (Picture: Backpagepix)

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has likened new signing Ricardo dos Santos Nascimento to defender Thabo Nthethe.

Nascimento recently joined the reigning Premiership champions on a three-year deal from Academia in Portugal.

The signing is seen as a move to replace Ramahlwe Mphahlele, who has joined Kaizer Chiefs in the off-season.

Mosimane believes the 29-year-old will add a fresh dimension to the Brazilians’ defence.

“Ricardo is an experienced defender, I went to watch him in Portugal and I followed him for a year,” Mosimane told KickOff.

“He’s a typical Thabo Nthethe, but with a left foot, because we want those diagonals [passes] – if you can check our build-up play from left to right.

“Also, at Thabo and Wayne’s ages they can never play football for two years, so we have to rotate them.”