Mokwana Elias of South Africa throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Qualifier match between Nigeria and South Africa at Godswill Akpabio Stadium on June 07, 2024 in Uyo, Nigeria.
(Photograph by Victor Ihechi/Gallo Photographs)
With Sekhukhune United’s Elias Mokwana set to conclude his switch to Esperance de Tunis this week, it has led to questions on whether or not this might spark a brand new pattern the place North Africans look down South to strengthen their groups.
Mokwana’s impending transfer comes on the again of his meteoric rise throughout his two seasons in top-flight soccer.
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The 24-year-old contributed 4 objectives and 5 assists in 35 appearances throughout all competitions in his final marketing campaign for the facet, powering Babina Noko to a fourth-place end on the DStv Premiership desk.
He has additionally blossomed right into a key determine for Bafana Bafana and was a part of the squad that returned with a gold medal on the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations event staged in Morocco earlier this 12 months.
This publication broke the story in mid-July that following prolonged negotiations, Sekhukhune and Esperance had lastly discovered widespread floor and reached a verbal settlement for the switch of the winger forward of the brand new season.
KickOff additional reported on Monday that Mokwana’s transfer is about to be concluded on Wednesday week as he has flown to Tunisia to endure a medical, after which he’ll put pen to paper on a reported three-year take care of the four-time CAF Champions League winners.
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In signing Mokwana, Esperance have crushed Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs, who have been understood to have gone so far as making a suggestion.
It’s an unbelievable rise in stature for a participant who was an unknown entity only a few years again however within the larger image, represents a rising pattern of North African sides’ appreciation of the expertise on supply within the southernmost tip of the continent.
At present, South Africa has Percy Tau and Fagrie Lakay as probably the most recognised footballers plying their commerce in North Africa, as they prove for Al Ahly and Pyramids respectively. Prior to now, there was Phakamani Mahlambi at Ahly, who joined on a reported R27 million switch payment, however disappointingly by no means lived as much as his true potential.
Like Lakay, Reward Hyperlinks has additionally worn the Pyramids jersey, having joined from Platinum Stars in 2018, however he too didn’t see a lot game-time, that includes simply 18 occasions that season earlier than being shipped off to Cape City Metropolis.
Topic to the finalization of his transfer, 24-year-old Mokwana will now have a large alternative to jot down his personal historical past in a football-mad territory, while additionally hoping to maintain his place in Bafana Bafana because the highway to 2025 AFCON and 2026 World Cup continues.
How he then does may additionally open the doorways for different Mzansi stars to check the waters in international locations like Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt, that are situated a lot nearer than abroad golf equipment.
