Belgian Pro League outfit Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on Thursday officially announced the signing of 21-year-old Bafana Bafana winger Relebohile Mofokeng on an initial four-year deal.
Mofokeng’s contract keeps him at the club until mid-2030, with the Brussels-based side reserving the option to extend the agreement by a further year.
The Belgian team’s social media department added a distinct South African touch to the announcement, editing a compilation clip of Mofokeng’s spectacular goals from his final season with Orlando Pirates. To top it off, they dynamically used Mgarimbe’s famous domestic anthem Sister Bethina as the background score.
“Yes. President Yama 200 has arrived. Relebohile Mofokeng joins Royale Union Saint-Gilloise on a four-year deal,” the club wrote on X.
Mofokeng admitted it was a lifelong dream to play in Europe and stated he was looking forward to accelerating his developmental skills on the continent.
“I’m very happy to be here,” Mofokeng said. “It’s a dream to play in Europe and to begin our Champions League qualifying campaign soon. The past year has been incredibly special, with the domestic league title, my first FIFA World Cup appearance, and now this important step in my career.
“I hope to continue developing as a player here. Together with the squad, we’ll do everything we can to prepare to compete for major trophies.”
The entire nation is brimming with immense pride over the signing, judging by the wave of celebratory social media content surrounding the young playmaker.
However, Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos warned that fans should not expect him to hit the ground running immediately, noting that the starlet has significant physical strengthening to undergo before he can properly acclimate to the sheer level of competition in Europe.
“I think it is a good thing for him. He will progress,” Broos told SABC Sport’s Velile Mnyandu.
“But also, you can’t expect him to perform from day one. Rele has to be physically stronger. It is a really tough, uncompromising competition in Belgium. I think for the first six months, they will put him into a specialised fitness training programme to get him a little bit stronger.”
AFP
