Bafana Bafana defender Nyiko Mobbie is yet to start pre-season training as his parent club, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Sekhukhune United had to renew their loan agreement.
Nyiko Mobbie has been on loan from Sundowns for the last three seasons, and FARPost can reveal that his stay at Babina Noko has been extended by a further year.
However, the Bafana right-back could not join the team for pre-season until the agreement was sorted. It means he only starts training for the new season on Monday, which may affect his involvement with the team in the early fixtures.
“He had to wait until both clubs resolved whether he was staying. So he hasn’t trained with the team since Kaitano Tembo took over,” a source close to the player said.
The coming season will be his fourth away from his parent club, with no indication that the club wants to use him. They signed him from Free State Stars in 2019 and have sent him on loan since then.
However, indications are that Sekhukhune are keen on taking him on permanently. “The fact that they’ve renewed again means they want him, but for that to happen, Sundowns will have to sell him because he’s their player,” said the source.
Nyiko Mobbie performed reasonably well in Sekhukhune’s first season in the top flight, earning himself a place in Hugo Broos’ Bafana squad.
After joining Downs in 2019, the 27-year-old spent the 2019/20 season in Cape Town with Stellenbosch before going to Chippa for the 2020/21 season.
Last season, he was a regular for Sekhukhune, featuring 22 times for the club in the Premier League. He has made 148 appearances across all competitions since getting his PSL breakthrough in 2016.
Newly appointed Sekhukhune coach Kaitano Tembo will be happy to get the national team defender back. He will likely play a pivotal role for the club as they look to break into the top eight this season.
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