He must go.’ Rangers target urged to grap Ibrox opportunity and become the next Stephen Pienaar

‘He must go.’ Rangers target urged to grap Ibrox opportunity and become the next Stephen Pienaar

Only a few weeks ago, we would have been astonished if Relebohile Mofokeng was a recognizable name to many Rangers fans. The adolescent Orlando Pirates midfielder has spent his whole career in South Africa and, save from a brief trial with Premier League Wolves, would not have been on many fans’ transfer radars.

But as Philippe Clement and Nils Koppen scour the globe for young, hungry talents who can take Rangers forward into a new era, Relebohile Mofokeng is suddenly the subject of group chats and pub conversations the length and breadth of the country.

Now, with Rangers said to be closing in on the transfer of the 19-year-old, two former South African players have been urging the kid to follow in the footsteps of Steven Pienaar and seize the opportunity.

Mofokeng’must go’ amid Rangers links. In light of the Rangers’ interest in Relebohile Mofokeng, former Orlando Pirates midfielder Solomon Mathe may be hoping the talent stays with his previous club. Putting Mofokeng’s career goals first, Mathe feels the midfielder should pursue his opportunities in Europe. Mathe expects that the promising youngster will follow in the footsteps of Steven Pienaar, a great South African winger who left for Ajax in identical circumstances in 2001.

The former Dortmund, Everton, and Tottenham winger went on to make 61 appearances for South Africa, including captaining the Bafana Bafana. “I think he has done well this season, and if an opportunity from overseas arises, he needs to go,” Mathe told Soccer Laduma. “Remember when Steven Pienaar left for Ajax Amsterdam? He was still young and quickly became a household name. Aaron Mokoena did the same. So he must go now and improve as a player. He will succeed because he is an astute player.” Bafana talent fits the Rangers transfer profile. Relebohile’s name has already been referenced alongside a notable football talent.

Whilst Steven Pienaar is perhaps a more appropriate contrast, midfielder-turned-winger Mofokeng earned quite remarkable comparisons to Andres Iniesta earlier in the season.

It’s good to see the 19-year-old is so highly-rated in South Africa and that Rangers are leading the pack to sign the player.

But maybe we can temper expectations in the early stages of the teenage midfielder’s Rangers career.

Whilst everyone hopes that Relebohile Mofokeng will succeed at Rangers, if he makes the move to Scotland that is, we’ve got carried away by such headlines before.

It’s encouraging to see this type of transfer link, and we hope Mofokeng can continue to have the kind of career that his South African contemporaries clearly believe he is capable of. Having said that, if Rangers truly do sign the next Steven Pienaar, we’ll be overjoyed.

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