Newly signed Al Ittihad striker Tumisang Orebonye has shared his advice with his Botswana national team captain, Thatayaone Ditlhokwe, amidst interest from the Libyan giants.
The Tripoli-based giants are closing in on the Kaizer Chiefs defender. He could team up with Orebonye who joined the club last week from Morocco’s AS FAR Rabat.
The free-spending side aims to complete the transfer before the mid-season transfer window closes on February 17. Ditlhokwe’s potential move to Al Ittihad comes at a critical juncture in his career, as his strong performances at Amakhosi have earned him a spot in the starting line-up.
This move will take him away to unfamiliar territory in North Africa. The 26-year-old has been in South Africa since January 2020 after joining SuperSport United.
‘TT’ made a switch to Naturena at the start of the 2023/24 season. During his first season at the club, he played a crucial role in the Amakhosi lineup, teaming up with Given Msimango in central defence.
The 26-year-old made 20 starts across all competitions. However, the arrival of Miguel Inacio and Rushwin Dortley saw him sidelined under coach Nasreddine Nabi.
His debut under Nabi came on November 2, 2024, when Inacio received a red card during the Carling Knockout match against Mamelodi Sundowns. Since that moment, he has made eight starts in all competitions and has begun to establish himself as the primary left-back.
WHAT IS OREBONYE’S ADVICE TO DITLHOKWE
“I’d say look at your goals, where you want to be in two or three years,” Orebonye told FARPost. “If those objectives align with the club’s vision, why not? Why not come here and experience a new environment?”
The Zebras forward believes the Libyan game is improving rapidly, considering the number of top signings. Egyptian striker Mahmoud Kahraba also joined the club from Al Ahly.
“Now, you can see that Libya is growing, they’re signing top players. He’s been struggling a bit with game time in the early stages of the season. If he comes here, he’s an international player. He’s our captain. Obviously, in these top leagues, they respect these kinds of players. They will treat him like a professional. If the offer is good, he can play for three years, and after that, he can easily go to Belgium,” added Orebonye.
When asked about the standard of the league, he said that he didn’t anticipate seeing what he was seeing. ‘Teenage’ debuted on Monday when his Tripoli-based side lost 2-0 to Olympic Azzawiya SC.
“The league – I didn’t expect what I’m seeing in terms of the level of the league. With the arrival of several international players like Kahraba, the league will certainly become stronger.”
Ittihad will play Asswehly in a league match on Saturday. After 10 games, they are fourth in the nine-team West Group table. Four of their games ended in wins, two in draws, and four in losses.
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