Nurkovic has been facing a concerning and lengthy injury-enforced absence at Royal AM, ever since joining the club on a free transfer from Chiefs.
According to reports in early October, the Serbian forward had been given “30 days to leave the club due to him being on ‘sick leave’ and ‘exhausting’ the period allowed for being on the mend”.
Nurkovic has been unable to feature in a top-flight fixture for Royal AM, and it now appears that the club – owned by businesswoman Shauwn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize – may have grown exasperated by the indefinite injury absence.
The Kosibay news further reported that Nurkovic was owed salary payments for July and August, and this seems to have been backed up by an article on 45 min football.
“Royal AM didn’t pay anything, accommodation, no salary, nothing for over two months,” the insider told 45 min football. “Nurkovic’s representative, Dajan Simac, had a chat with their lawyers, who sent Royal AM a letter to pay the player.
“However, MaMkhize involved her lawyers as well, and they sent a letter back. They wanted to terminate the contract of Nurkovic because he was injured. Nurkovic started the pre-season with the club, and after one week at training, he got injured.
“So MaMkhize [Shauwn Mkhize, Royal AM president], was advised to terminate the striker’s contract, and the Nurkovic camp was taken aback by the club’s decision.”
Recently,MaMkhize dismissed the rumours of a 30-day notice, and implied that the forward wouldn’t be leaving Royal AM.
“You know I don’t entertain rumours anymore,” “So much has been said about Royal AM that is not true, just now ‘the coach was no longer there’ and I said to myself, I’m not gonna be entertaining rumours that are untrue.”
During this past off-season it was confirmed that Nurkovic would be leaving Kaizer Chiefs after his three-year association with the club had come to an end, with the 30-year-old heading to Royal AM.
However, despite making this key move to Chiefs’ PSL rivals, question marks have remained over what the planning was for the striker at Royal AM.
According to popular online source the kosibay news at the beginning of August, Nurkovic had in fact required knee surgery, which would have led to a lengthy absence.
Royal AM striker Samir Nurkovic will miss the start of the new season.
Nurkovic will undergo a knee operation after getting injured at training recently.
Nurkovic made 78 appearances for Chiefs
The Serbian striker had previously struggled for game time under Stuart Baxter. He missed large parts of the season due to a long-term injury and had not offered much on attack when he was able to play over the last season.
“I am happy that I have been part of such a big club, such a beautiful and good environment,” said Nurkovic after leaving Chiefs.
“I joined Amakhosi from a small city in Serbia, and that’s a big thing, and I must say, the Chiefs chapter has been the best in my career so far.
“My last two seasons, most of the games, I played while injured, and I couldn’t perform at my best. But it’s normal as Chiefs couldn’t wait for me forever to recover because, at the time, they needed players, they couldn’t sign anybody [FIFA transfer ban], and I understand.
“Everybody saw my first season at Chiefs, and I can’t just like that, forget to play football overnight; that’s ridiculous.
“I am leaving Chiefs with a full heart, and a grateful heart, but it is time for the new chapter,” he added.
Kaizer Chiefs will not extend Samir Nurković’s contract when it expires on 30 June 2022, ending a three-year relationship. The popular Serbian forward began his Chiefs career like a house on fire, scoring 14 goals in his maiden season.
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