Lyle Foster celebrates his first-ever Premier League goal. Photo: @KamoMotecwane via Twitter.
The Clarets have a gem on their hands.
Lyle Foster celebrates his first-ever Premier League goal. Photo: @KamoMotecwane via Twitter.
Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster is now a Premier League regular. Is the ex-Orlando Pirates star now Burnley’s best performer?
Benni McCarthy was formerly the most expensive South African footballer ever when Celta Vigo paid Ajax €6m (R113 million) for his services. After Benni, Joburg-born playmaker Steven Pienaar was the second-most expensive when 2011 he moved from Everton to Tottenham and fetched a fee of €3.6m (R67.6 million). The guaranteed fee that Burnley will pay to Westerlo for Kyle Foster’s services has shattered the record held by Benni since 1999. The Clarets paid €7m upfront, with a further €4m of add-ons triggered because of their promotion to the EPL. Foster’s move is going to amount to something approaching a staggering R225 million, but now his value is estimated at €13m (R265 million).
The Lancashire club paid a fee rising to €11m to sign Foster, and there’s no reason why a host of other Premier League clubs wouldn’t jump at the chance of signing the hard-working South African for around double that at least. Foster has scored four goals and provided three assists in 14 top-flight appearances, of which 13 have been starts. It’s no exaggeration to say he’s been arguably their best player, and to produce those numbers in a side struggling at the basement is a superb achievement. For the football stats nerds, Foster’s xG + xA (expected goals + expected assists) figure is 2.6, so he’s outperforming that in a big way. If the Clarets get relegated, they’ll likely try to cash in on Foster.
The 23-year-old South African is currently on the sidelines and expected back in April. Burnley are 10 points adrift of safety, and their chances of survival look slim, bordering on grim.
Diminutive winger Mohau Nkota has impressed for the DStv Diski Challenge side. However, the 19-year-old is yet to make his senior breakthrough. Now, according to Soccer-Laduma, the club is readying a senior contract for the youngster to ensure they don’t lose him to Europe like they did Lyle Foster.
Mohau Nkota hasn’t played a single minute in the first-team for the Buccaneers yet. However, the club are aware of Liege’s interest and readying a new four-year deal for the attacker. Bucs staff are aware of the 19-year-old’s potential, as well as how disastrous it would be if they lost him to Europe for a small transfer fee. Pirates sold now-Burnley striker Lyle Foster to Monaco in 2019 for €1.2m. Considering his current value, that fee could and possibly should have been significantly larger.
Meanwhile, hit up James Freemantle for more insights, analysis and love for the beautiful game.
Also, follow The South African on X for up-to-the-minute news updates.