Thorsten “Spike” Brits last year became the most expensive academy player signing in the history of the English game.
Image: Manchester City
South African players have struggled to break into the Premier League over the last decade since stars such as Lucas Radebe, Shaun Bartlett, Benni McCarthy and Steven Pienaar played week-in and week-out in the world's most watched football league.
Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau was the last player to feature in England's top flight, although his tenure with Brighton & Hove Albion didn't last very long. Before Tau midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi played for Fulham and Crystal Palace without having much of an impact.
Former SuperSport United captain Bongani Khumalo also signed for Tottenham Hotspur in January 2011, but didn't manage to play in a single competitive match for the London giants.
However, there is a new kid with strong South African connections making waves in the English game, a player who already is being talked about as a potential star of the future.
Thorsten “Spike” Brits was recently promoted to the Manchester City reserve side, a year after he became the most expensive academy player signing in the history of the English game.
In June 2023, a 16-year-old Brits signed for Manchester City as a scholar in the summer following his impressive progression through AFC Wimbledon’s Academy.
Brits spent his debut campaign for City with the Under-18s. Now, for the rest of the 2024/25 season, he has moved up to the reserve side, made up of mostly U21 players, to compete in the Premier League 2.
Brits was born in England after his South African parents emigrated to England from East London in the Eastern Cape.
The goalkeeper joined Wimbledon at the age of five, and had come through the club’s development ranks before playing for England at various age-group levels.
A bidding war started for his services flared up ahead of last June’s transfer window, as Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford also chased his signature. Even famous transfer expert Fabrizio Romano got into the specularion
In the end it was "here for go", as Brits decided to join City the season after they won the treble.
Brits is known for being a composed goalkeeper who is comfortable with the ball at his feet. According to City's scouts, he can distribute the ball across a range of distances, which makes him the perfect player shot-stopper in Pep Guardiola's system.
It’s only a matter of time before Brits breaks into the City first team, although he still has to fight it out with the likes of Ederson and Stefan Ortega. But being club trained after joining the academy last year and England-born, will definitely see him feature over veteran Scott Carson in the near future.
Brits has set his sights on playing for England, but he reportedly hasn’t ruled out the possibility of one day playing for Bafana Bafana if things don't go to plan in England.
For now, though, it's just good to see another young South African making his mark in the English game.
@JohnGoliath82