Orlando Pirates star Mbekezeli Mbokazi is officially set to move to the USA’s Major League Soccer (MLS), joining Chicago Fire when the January transfer window opens. While the 20-year-old talent secured a reported R52 million transfer fee to the American club, his agent revealed a much lower offer from Europe was turned down due to perceived devaluation of African players.
The Low European Bid
Mbokazi’s representative, Basia Michaels, disclosed that an unnamed European club submitted a bid that she considered insulting.
- Offer Value: The European club offered just €150,000 (approximately R2.9 million) for the player.
- Agent’s Stance: Michaels explicitly stated that she rejected the offer because the European team “didn’t feel the need to pay more money for an African player,” suggesting the bid was based on a discriminatory valuation.
- The MLS Deal: This low offer contrasted sharply with the deal secured with Chicago Fire, which is reportedly worth around R52 million for the player known as “TLB.”
Mbokazi, who has played just 37 senior matches for Orlando Pirates, will complete his MLS move officially on January 1st.
Final Pirates Appearance
Before his departure, Mbekezeli Mbokazi is scheduled to feature in one of his final matches for Orlando Pirates: the Carling Knockout final against Marumo Gallants. The match will take place this Saturday at the Peter Mokaba Stadium at 18:00.
