Orlando Pirates have found one of the best defenders the country has produced.
Since making his debut for the Buccaneers earlier this year, Mbekezeli Mbokazi has been one of the players to watch not only in South Africa but across the continent. Against the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the young defender pocketed Ademola Lookman.
The Nigerian attacker is regarded as one of the top African players but during the World Cup qualifiers against Bafana, the Atalanta forward could not penetrate the South African defence.
Mbokazi made his mark for Orlando Pirates when he marked Lucas Ribeiro out of the game to help his side claim a 2-1 win over their rivals Mamelodi Sundowns. With the Brazilian forward having terrorised the Bucs defence a month earlier without ‘TLB‘, he stood no chance in the return fixture.
Since then, Mbokazi has grown by leaps and bounds, becoming the best defender in the PSL currently at just 20.
How much can Orlando Pirates get from Mbokazi?
TLB is surely moving to Europe. According to reports, several teams are keen to bring Mbokazi abroad at the end of the season.
With the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations around the corner, it gives the 20-year-old a chance to showcase his talent to the world. If he impresses and Bafana go all the way, his market value will rise rapidly. If the Buccaneers can claim more trophies (PSL and CAF Champions League), he will not be sold for anything less than R100 million.
The season has started well for Mbokazi and he has already led Orlando Pirates to the MTN8 title last month. If Bafana Bafana qualify for the FIFA World Cup, he will be one of the players to watch at the tournament.
A good showing could see Orlando Pirates demand at least R200 million from European teams. At 20, he still has a lot to learn and could become the PSL’s record transfer.