Pitso Mosimane Dragged Into R1.25 Million Legal Dispute Over Esteghlal Coaching Deal

Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Al Ahly coach Pitso Mosimane has become embroiled in a R1.25 million (US$75,000) legal dispute over his appointment at Iranian football club Esteghlal.

Football agent Hamed Ghadiri has approached the Johannesburg High Court, seeking payment from MT Sports Marketing and Management, the company run by Mosimane’s wife, Moira Tlhagale.

Ghadiri claims he played a key role in facilitating Mosimane’s move to Esteghlal in October 2024 but was never paid the commission allegedly agreed upon for his involvement in the deal.

The agent is now seeking access to company records and bank statements as part of efforts to establish what happened to the money.

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Agent Claims He Facilitated Mosimane’s Move To Iran

According to court papers seen by the Sowetan, Ghadiri was authorised by MT Sports in October 2024 to initiate negotiations with Esteghlal over the appointment of Mosimane and his technical team.

He claims his involvement resulted in the Iranian club preparing an offer, which eventually led to Mosimane signing a contract on October 18, 2024.

The disagreement centres on an alleged commission arrangement involving US$100,000 (approximately R1.6 million) that was supposed to be paid by the club to intermediaries involved in securing the coaching appointment.

Ghadiri maintains that he was entitled to US$75,000 (approximately R1.25 million), representing 75% of the agreed intermediary fee.

However, he alleges that the payment was never made despite his role in securing the deal.

Ghadiri Seeks Company Records And Bank Statements

Rather than limiting his claim to the disputed commission, Ghadiri is asking the court to compel MT Sports to disclose documents relating to the Esteghlal appointment and financial transactions connected to the deal.

He is particularly interested in the company’s bank statements, which he believes could help establish how payments linked to the coaching appointment were handled.

The proceedings are currently before the Johannesburg High Court, with the dispute focusing on the alleged commission-sharing arrangement and whether Ghadiri received what he claims was owed to him.

Agent Makes Further Claims About Mosimane’s Esteghlal Exit

The court papers also reportedly refer to an alleged conversation between Ghadiri and Mosimane in February 2025, when the coach was said to have left Esteghlal following a disagreement over unpaid wages.

According to Ghadiri’s account, Mosimane told him that he had taken the matter to FIFA and allegedly asked him to “come down” and “keep quiet”, promising to settle the agent’s payment when he had the money.

Ghadiri subsequently pursued the matter, with reports indicating that he issued a demand letter in March 2026 before filing court papers on March 31.