Bafana Bafana star Siphephelo ‘Yaya’ Sithole has been tipped to go to the top of the game after consistently excelling since his arrival in Portugal five years ago.
His former coach at Belenenses SAD, Nelson Santos, suggests that the midfielder is ripe for a lucrative move to one of the big five European leagues.
Sithole arrived at Portugal side Belenenses in 2019, aged 20, from Vitoria Setubal, but Santos remembers him for displaying striking maturity.
He is convinced that the KZN Academy graduate has paid his ‘school fees’ and is due for his next career level.
“I had the opportunity to work with Yaya Sithole in the first team of Belenenses, and I found him mature as a player.
“At 20, he went to the first team and had a chance to show his quality to the people.
“Yaya Sithole is an outstanding defensive midfielder, a fighter, brilliant, and has a good vision – capable of short and long passes.
“Sometimes we would play him as a box-to-box midfielder, as an eight. He would perform well. He goes to attack and defends.
“He loses the ball and is quick to recover. He has a good shot as well. He is very aggressive in the air and a true example of an African player,” Santos told FARPost during a visit to the publication’s offices.
He predicts that Yaya Sithole will get his breakthrough to a top European team in the next season or two.
The South African international has been linked to a number of European teams, and Santos is convinced he could land a more lucrative deal elsewhere next season.
“I believe he will go to the top teams in Portugal or Europe in the next two years,” he said.
Nelson, who has also worked with Sudan’s Al Hilal and Egypt’s Nogoom FC, believes that the man nicknamed ‘Yaya’ after the Ivorian legend embodies the true African player.
“He will fight for 90 minutes, passing and keeping possession. He’s a spirited player. I like him a lot. In Europe, teams need the kind of player he is. He can also play centre back or as a right defender, as well as number six or eight,” he added.
The Durban-born star was the star of the show when Bafana played Morocco in an Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year. He provided the assist for Lyle Foster’s goal in the 2-1 loss.
After that stellar performance, he looks likely to have a massive future with the national team.
Besides Belenenses, the 38-year-old Santos, who holds a UEFA Pro License, also worked with Maritimo in Portugal and most recently Ferroviario Nampula in Mozambique.
