Richards Bay FC striker Yanela Mbuthuma has addressed both the speculation linking him to Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates and his recent Bafana Bafana selection.
The 23-year-old forward has flourished remarkably since arriving at the Natal Rich Boyz at the beginning of the 2022/23 season, cementing his status as one of the PSL's most highly-rated young prospects.
His talent was initially identified by Richards Bay at the first Khabba Cup tournament in Umlazi during 2023.
From there, he seamlessly transitioned into a regular starting role for the Jomo Biyela-owned club, contributing significantly with 10 goals and eight assists in 83 appearances across all competitions.
This impressive trajectory led directly to his inclusion in the Bafana Bafana squad set to compete in June's international friendlies against Mozambique and Tanzania.
Mbuthuma stated that he's still in shock over the national team call-up, as it was entirely unanticipated, humbly stating he never truly envisioned himself wearing the national team jersey.
OUADDOU EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO GALLANTS
“I’m very happy that I have been given an opportunity and was called to the national team,” said Mbuthuma.
“I just want to score more goals, so that I can progress even more and grow as a striker.
“I was very shocked when I got this opportunity because I wasn’t expecting. When I first started playing football, I wasn’t even picturing myself at this level. So, I’m still shocked.”
On Chiefs and Pirates rumours, Ouaddou said, “I don’t pay attention on that a lot because I play to entertain people not because I wanna impress big teams.”
“For now, that’s not in my mind. I’m still okay at Richards Bay so I can just prove myself even more.”
