Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos has admitted he cannot drop Relebohile Mofokeng and opened up on his uncertain long-term future at Orlando Pirates affecting his form.
Mofokeng, 20, has emerged as one of the leading performers in the South African top-flight since being promoted from the club’s reserve team after initially being lured from the School of Excellence.
He’s won back-to-back Young Footballer of the Season awards, and his performances earned him a place in the senior national team, with nine caps to his name since making his debut at 19 years old in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe.
However, his form naturally attracted interest, with reported offers from Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Minnesota United and Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq in recent weeks – but he looks set to remain at the Buccaneers until after the Africa Cup of Nations at the end of this year.
“You know I’m always worried here when I see there’s interest in a player in South Africa, when I see the teams and I think why is he going there? I can’t do anything about it, but let’s hope if Rele leaves Pirates, he makes the right choice,” Broos said.
“I think for the moment it’s a bit too much for him, all this interest from teams – and he’s going there, then he’s not going, and you see that in his performances, he’s not playing at the same level he played before.
“I can’t do what I maybe have to do and say okay, I’ll [drop him] that would kill him, and I won’t do that – but, Rele has to know also, even if he’s Rele Mofokeng, that in the next weeks and months, he has to be better again.
“He has excuses, even though they say he’s saying no [to offers], you can’t get that out of your head and it’s not two weeks, it’s been two, three months of this. As a player, if you’re going then not going, then I’m going, then I’m not going – it’s not good.
“So, let’s hope that problem is solved as soon as possible and that Rele knows he’s staying one more year at Pirates or that he gets a transfer.”
Mofokeng has featured 95 times for Pirates first team with 18 goals and 22 assists across all competitions.
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