Former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana defender Gavin ‘Stability Unit’ Lane has weighed in on Mbekezeli Mbokazi being linked with Major League Soccer [MLS] outfit Chicago Fire FC.
The Buccaneers defender reportedly arrived in the USA on Friday with his agent for talks of a possible R52 million move. Mbokazi has enjoyed a sensational rise since making his professional football debut in March 2025.
Three months after his first official match for Pirates, he broke into the Bafana Bafana fold to turn himself into a key member of Hugo Broos’ squad. To highlight how important he became to the Belgian trainer, he was blocked from going to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup to be available for the crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Mbokazi was appointed Pirates vice captain at the start of the 2025/26 season, but has worn the armband more than skipper Nkosinathi Sibisi this season. Now, Chicago Fire are said to be keen on the 20-year-old centre-back.
While interest in him has emerged from MLS, Broos has been on record saying Mbokazi is ripe for Europe. The former Cameroon coach is a critic of the MLS due to the travel time spent by players while reporting for national team duty.
That saw the likes of Cassius Mailula, Bongokuhle Hlongwane and Njabulo Blom losing their Bafana places.
WHAT LANE THINKS ABOUT MBOKAZI’S POSSIBLE MLS MOVE
“It’s an opportunity of a lifetime. The MLS is pretty good, lots of sponsors, and the football is good over there. So why not? I think he should give it a try,” Lane told FARPost.
“When you look at the bigger picture, from there he can go to the English Premier League like Lucas [Radebe], [Mark] Fish or [Shaun] Bartlett. If you look at Lyle Foster, he is now doing well in England [for Burnley FC]. It’s always nice to go abroad.
“Of course, he has been doing great for himself, but getting experience abroad is key. Looking at his age, he needs such experience.
“I don’t think going to the MLS will affect his chances of going to the [2026 FIFA] World Cup with Bafana Bafana. He is still young, and there is a lot he can achieve with this move.”
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