Brayan León: Sundowns Seal $3.5M Colombian Striker Deal
Mamelodi Sundowns have made a thunderous statement in the January transfer window after securing the signature of Colombian forward Brayan León in a deal believed to be worth around R57 million.
The reigning Betway Premiership champions have reportedly reached full agreement with Independiente Medellín, with the striker set to complete his move to Chloorkop on a $3.5 million package, which also includes a sell-on clause.
The transfer was revealed by respected football journalist Fabrizio Romano, who confirmed that León would be the latest high-profile export from the Colombian club following the recent sale of Juan Arizala to Udinese.
León, born on 19 October 2000, has steadily built a reputation as one of Colombia’s most effective attacking players. He rose to prominence at Deportivo Pereira, playing a crucial role in their 2022 Torneo Finalización title triumph by scoring eight goals in just 15 matches. A move to Atlético Junior followed in early 2023, before he settled at Independiente Medellín later that year.
The 2025 season proved to be the most productive of his career so far. León registered 13 goals and nine assists in 40 appearances, helping Medellín to an eighth-place finish in Colombia’s top flight while also contributing in continental competition.
Why Sundowns moved decisively for León
León’s arrival addresses a clear need in Sundowns’ squad. Club legend Peter Shalulile has struggled for consistent minutes, while record signing Arthur Sales has often been deployed away from a central striking role. Iqraam Rayners has also featured out wide, and Lebo Mothiba has largely been used as an impact substitute.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso has identified the attack as an area requiring reinforcement, and León is expected to bring both goals and physical presence to the frontline as Sundowns chase domestic and continental success.
Squad implications
Sundowns still have one foreign-player slot available, making León’s registration possible. However, his signing could have consequences elsewhere in the squad, with midfielder Matías Esquivel facing an uncertain future after returning from a short loan spell in Greece.
For now, the focus is firmly on León’s arrival. At just 25, the Colombian forward arrives in South Africa at the peak of his powers — and with expectations that match the size of Sundowns’ latest investment.
We hope he is not another scam, that we can not dispose of once we realized that he is not better than what we have in stock.
It might be a good acquisition, unfortunately we don’t have the right coach