Agent discusses the Cassius Mailula risks they took in securing Saudi Arabia transfer for Mohau Nkota from Orlando Pirates

Mohau Nkota signed for Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq where he immediatley established himself as one of the team's key players.

The surprise move came as Nkota teamed up with his new club at a pre-season training camp straight from Spain where he was with Orlando Pirates in July.

While the 20-year-old was expected to move to Europe after a terrific debut top-flight league season with the Buccaneers, he opted for the Middle East and his agent Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse explains why they took what she says was "a risk." 

"If you look on the number of eyeballs on the Saudi league, it's one of the fastest growing leagues, they've just signed with ESPN, so you look at these things and say, will he be able to achieve what he wants, if he goes that way to go into Europe," said Mathang-Tshabuse said on Smash Sports.
"Which is ultimately what players want, they want to play in those big leagues. It was an issue of should we take our chances? Do you want to stay? I was more hesitant with this deal, I was the one in the team who to say let's think about this, are we making the right decision?
"Because I have the experience of Cassius, I sat down with Mohau [and told him] that Hugo Broos may cut you, I want you to be alive to all the risks you're taking," she added."And I don't know if it's him being 20, him being as resolute as I am and he's like 'I've considered it and I want to go there.'"Ettifaq are a dominating team in Saudi, it's not like he is going to one of those smaller teams, he is at one of the big teams there. Ulimatley, it was a risk worth taking because he is still young."

Mathang-Tshabuse also represents Cassius Mailula whose move to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC was viewed by many as steps back in his career.

But he is now on loan at KV Kortrijk in the Belgian second-tier where he is yet to make his debut.

That is in contrast to Nkota who is an influential player at Al Ettifaq who play in a league laden with big-name players like Criatiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mane, Karim Benzema and his teammate Georginio Wijnaldum although some are said to be nearing the end of their careers.

While Mailula seems to have diminished his chances of going to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Nkota is becoming a key Bafana member.