Richards Bay FC striker Yanela Mbuthuma has openly shared his soaring ambitions as his professional career continues to steadily gain momentum.
The 23-year-old forward joined the Natal Rich Boyz at the beginning of the 2022/23 season after he was discovered during the Khabba Cup tournament.
He swiftly cemented his position as a regular starter for the Jomo Biyela-owned club under the different coaches. Across 83 appearances in all competitions, he netted 10 goals and provided an impressive eight assists.
The striker was recently on national duty with the Bafana Bafana squad for their international friendlies. He was an unused substitute during South Africa’s 0-0 draw against Tanzania on Friday. But the Richards Bay man featured in their 2-0 win over Mozambique on Tuesday.
Mbuthuma has boldly stated his desire to play overseas and to continually improve and ultimately be recognised as “the best striker” in Africa.
MBUTHUMA SHARES HIS AMBITION TO BECOME THE BEST STRIKER ON THE CONTINENT
“Here in South Africa, we don’t have many strikers and I just want to demonstrate my talent,” Mbuthuma told FARPost.“I want to work hard as much as I can to become the best striker in Africa.”
He further stated that a significant objective for him in the upcoming 2025/26 season is to exceed a tally of ten goals.
“In the upcoming season, all I want is to score more than ten goals because I can see the way I’ve been pushing, I can do that,” Mbuthuma added. “I believe hard work is the skill I have to perform whenever I’m on the field.”
Mbuthuma has reportedly attracted the attention of two of South Africa’s biggest clubs, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
However, he recently put pen to paper on a new five-year long-term deal at Richards Bay. This means any interested club would likely have to pay a hefty amount for his transfer.
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