Bafana Bafana forward Lyle Foster has revealed why he snubbed ‘a few offers’ to settle for Burnley FC.
Foster joined the Clarets in a record-breaking transfer valued in the region of R208 million.
The transfer is the biggest involving a South African footballer, and FARPost has since established that three other overseas clubs were keen on luring him from Belgium’s KVC Westerlo.
One of the clubs Foster snubbed plays in the English Premier League, and the Johannesburg-born star has explained his decision.
LYLE FOSTER HAD A FEW OFFER
“I had other few offers as well,” he told Bafana media officer Romy Titus at the ongoing national team camp.
Foster is with the Bafana squad set to play Liberia in a back-to-back AFCON qualifier. The first leg is at Orlando Stadium on Friday, 24 March 2023, with the return leg set for Monrovia four days later.
Foster further explained what convinced him to move to the Championship side.
“I remember my head coach at Westerlo [Jonas De Roeck] telling me that Vincent called him a few times and asked about me. And he said I was progressing. That was the first time I heard about the news. And my agent obviously came to me to tell me about it.
“But the moment I heard the name Vincent [Kompany] and how it’s so connected to my coach [De Roeck] and for him to come to watch my game and coach Hugo Broos being his [Kompany] first coach, my heart just sat on it. It felt like the right move for me.”
“…I saw how they [Burnley] were playing their games, and I instantly fell in love and wanted to see myself there. Luckily for me, I was able to make the move happen.”
THE THREE TEAMS THAT WANTED LYLE FOSTER
Interestingly, Foster’s Westerlo manager De Roeck was the Manchester City legend’s assistant coach when he managed Anderlecht.
Reports in England suggested Brentford were “expected to recall Halil Dervisoglu from his loan spell at Burnley following the Championship side’s decision to swoop for Lyle Foster”.
‘The Bees’ had engaged Foster’s management team and club on his services before he penned the four-and-a-half deal with the former Premiership side, Burnley.
In Belgium, the 22-year-old had also caught the eye of KRC Genk, the club the late Anele Ngcongca captained.
French Ligue 1 side Nice was also interested in the Orlando Pirates academy prodigy.
Foster is set to remain at Turf Moor until 2027, with the club on course to gain promotion to the topflight.
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