South African football legend Doctor Khumalo urges Mofokeng to embrace potential Barcelona move | OneFootball

Over the past couple of years, FC Barcelona have significantly expanded their scouting network in Africa, broadening their horizons and bringing in a number of promising talents for their reserve team, with the aim of developing them for the future.

Players like Mikayil Faye, who signed for Barcelona Atlètic, enjoyed an impressive season before securing a move elsewhere, generating a considerable profit for the club. Meanwhile, others, such as David Oduro, are still in the process of developing within Barcelona’s system.

Now, the Catalan giants have set their sights on another rising African talent: Relebohile Mofokeng, who currently plays for Orlando Pirates. The highly-rated youngster has attracted interest from several European clubs, including Premier League sides, as well as Egyptian giants Zamalek.

Predominantly a left-winger, the South African forward is also capable of playing on the right and through the middle. He has delivered an impressive return this season, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists in 31 appearances across all competitions.

Already capped five times at the senior level for his country, Mofokeng’s potential is evident. His talent has also been endorsed by South African football legend Doctor Khumalo, who believes Barcelona is the perfect place for him to grow.

Photo by 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa via Getty Images

In an interview with iDiski Times (h/t SPORT), Khumalo stressed the importance of young South African players moving abroad to develop their game.

“As a nation, when are we going to feel proud of sending young players abroad to learn? Let Rele go,” Khumalo said, urging South Africa to embrace the idea of exporting talent to Europe rather than holding them back.

He also addressed concerns about whether Mofokeng is ready for such a move, expressing confidence that Barcelona would carefully manage his development.

“I don’t think they’ll throw him in the deep end unprepared. They’ve seen something in him and want to work with him now so that in two years, he will be ready for the first team.”

Khumalo argued that Barcelona’s interest in Mofokeng is not based solely on his current abilities but on the potential they see in him. He pointed to Lionel Messi’s early years at the club as an example of how Barcelona can transform young talents into world-class players.

“If Barça could take a young Messi with growth issues and turn him into the best player in the world, why not trust that they can do the same with Rele?” he questioned, emphasizing that the right environment and development structure could unlock Mofokeng’s full potential.

The former South African star also shared his own experience of training abroad, highlighting the benefits of stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

“Rele will gain a lot from this. When I went to Argentina, I worked with a fitness coach for three weeks and came back stronger. We can’t waste opportunities like this,” he explained, reinforcing the idea that exposure to higher levels of competition can accelerate a player’s growth.

Finally, Khumalo underlined that Barcelona’s interest in Mofokeng is based on his long-term potential rather than immediate impact.

“They’re not signing him for what he can do today, but for what he can contribute in the future. They’ve seen his potential and know how to develop it.”

Barcelona have a track record of developing youngsters and making them into solid players for the future. At the age of 20, Rele is already at the age where he should be developing at a European club and it remains to be seen if the Catalan club make a move for him in the near future.