Cape Town City FC have parted ways with highly-rated midfielder Luyolo Slatsha on mutual consent, effective immediately.
The 23-year-old, a product of the revered Ajax Cape Town development system before joining the Citizens at youth level, has been seeking more regular game time.
The talented defensive midfielder, who is equally adept in a box-to-box ‘number eight’ role, exits the Motsepe Foundation Championship club having made over 30 senior appearances since his promotion to the first team.
Slatsha is widely regarded as a modern defensive midfielder, intelligent and capable of functioning effectively as a deep-lying playmaker. His ability to dictate tempo and break up opposition play made him an asset.
The Cape Town-born star enjoyed his breakthrough season in the 2023/24 campaign, where he firmly established himself in the senior squad. However, his time on the pitch was significantly curtailed last season due to an injury, impacting his continuity in the starting eleven.
“Luyolo is an immense talent and a true professional,” said a club insider. “He needs consistent minutes to continue his development, and while we are sad to see him go, we respect his decision to seek new opportunities.”
SLATSHA SEEKING A NEW HOME
Coming through the ranks of the Mother City’s top development structures, the midfielder will undoubtedly not be short of suitors. At just 23, Slatsha possesses the technical ability and tactical intelligence that will appeal to numerous top-flight clubs looking to bolster their midfield.
His youth coach at Table View FC, where he spent years before joining Ajax, Fortune Ndlovu, likens him to two smooth operators in midfield.
“He’s got Teboho Mokoena’s traits and Bongani Zungu’s. He sees spaces that no one sees. He conducts the orchestra,” Fortune told FARPost in a previous interview.
Meanwhile, Slatsha, who also manages a student housing real estate business, will have the opportunity to focus on his enterprise while awaiting the next move ahead of the season’s second round.
RELATED STORY: Andries Ulderink’s new role at Cape Town City revealed