By Levy Masiteng
Relebohile Mofokeng is on the verge of beginning the next chapter of his career after Orlando Pirates confirmed that the Bafana Bafana star is set to join Belgian Pro League side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, subject to a successful medical and the agreement of personal terms.
The transfer was confirmed by Orlando Pirates in a club statement released on Wednesday, ending weeks of speculation surrounding one of South Africa’s brightest young footballers.
Pirates revealed that an agreement in principle with Union Saint-Gilloise had already been reached before the start of the FIFA World Cup.
ALSO READ: Khan’s secret-testimony bid collapses after Madlanga blasts ‘vague’ application
“Both parties made the joint decision to hold off on any public announcement until after the tournament, wanting Mofokeng to focus fully on the World Cup with Bafana Bafana without the distraction of transfer talk, and to allow the national team’s historic run to take centre stage,” the club said.
Although negotiations over the transfer fee and the structure of the deal have been concluded, Pirates said the move will only be completed once the 21-year-old passes his medical examination and finalises personal terms with the Belgian outfit.
“The Club can confirm that it has reached an agreement with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for the transfer of Relebohile Mofokeng,” the statement read.
Mofokeng leaves Pirates after cementing his status as one of the Premier Soccer League’s most exciting young players.
He played a key role as the Buccaneers won the Betway Premiership, MTN8 and Carling Knockout last season, ending a 14-year wait for the league title.
Across 125 senior appearances for Pirates in all competitions, Mofokeng contributed 29 goals and 31 assists, underlining his importance to the Soweto giants.
He also enhanced his growing reputation on the international stage during the FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
ALSO READ: Court torpedoes Cat Matlala’s plea deal, wants 12 year sentence
In a statement, the Confederation of African Football said Mofokeng made an immediate impact after coming off the bench against Czechia before later earning a starting place as Bafana Bafana reached the knockout stages of the tournament for the first time in the country’s history.
Speaking after his World Cup debut, Mofokeng credited Bafana coach Hugo Broos for helping him settle his nerves.
“This is my first World Cup, my first game, so the coach just told me to be confident and believe in myself. He told me that he believes in me, so I must believe in myself and help the team as much as I possibly can,” Mofokeng said.
His move to Union Saint-Gilloise represents another significant step in his career, with the Belgian club set to compete in European football next season.
Union won the Belgian title in the 2024/25 season, ending a 90-year wait, but finished behind Club Brugge in the 2025/26 campaign.
The club has built a reputation for developing young talent before players move on to some of Europe’s bigger leagues.
Pirates added that no further comment will be made until the transfer process has been fully concluded between Mofokeng and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
