Agent pleads with clubs to listen to offers for Bafana Bafana players

Binkin is part of Football First, a company that represents four national team stars who were part of the bronze medal winning squad in Cote d’Ivoire – namely Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, Thapelo Maseko and Oswin Appollis.

As expected, talk is mounting, especially around Mokoena, that there is overseas interest in the Bafana players.

Speaking to SABC Sport at OR Tambo to welcome Bafana from Abidjan, the veteran agent made a plea to clubs.

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"There's obviously been a lot of speculation around the players because of their success in the tournament but all players have long term contracts at their club. So, any interested party will have to engage with the respective clubs to see if they will be prepared to sell the players. Obviously, we are hopeful that the clubs will be reasonable and give the players the opportunity to play football at the highest levels abroad but that's up to the clubs. We are sure the common sense will prevail," Binkin said. 

Various media outlets have reported Mokoena, the 27-year-old who plays for Mamelodi Sundowns, is wanted abroad and Soccer Laduma this week named English Premier League side Bournemouth as one of the interested parties.

While not ruling out the possibility, Binkin reiterates that whatever happens in the transfer market will be decided by the player’s employers.

"Teboho Mokoena has a contract with Sundowns until 2026. Although there's lots of speculation and rumours from Premier League and other top European leagues as well as Al Ahly in Egypt. As I said his contract is until 2026, so any interested party will have to engage first and foremost with the club to see if they'll sell the player and thereafter they will contact us to see if there's interest and how we can move forward," Binkin added.

Binkin is not surprised Bafana are the buzz word on the international stage, he remembers this from his days as team manager in 1996 when the national side were crowned African champions.

"Having worked with the Bafana Bafana team in 1996, I saw how success on the field translates to interest off the field. Obviously, over the past 20 hard years, South Africa hasn't enjoyed success on the continental stage and in fact, in many of the years hasn't actually even qualified for the tournament but first of all the qualification and the ability to showcase what the players are able to do on the global stage.

“As well as the success of the team reaching the semifinals of the tournament and coming third overall certainly all goes well for the future of the players and showcases what South African football is really about."