Cape Town City star Emile Witbooi attracts interest from Manchester City amidst Chelsea FC assessment - 'I met recruiters at Leicester and Wolves'

Cape Town City's rising talent, Emile Witbooi, has caught the eye of English Premier League champions Manchester City while also undergoing trials at Chelsea FC.

Last week, the 16-year-old rising star travelled to England for a one-month evaluation with Chelsea's under-18 team, one of the prominent clubs in London.

During his trial stint at the EPL club, Cape Town City Head of Development and Recruitment, Grant Veitch, has revealed that Manchester City are also monitoring Witbooi.

"I've met with recruitment guys at Wolves, at Leicester, at Southampton. I've tried to get about because I think there's a big interest in African talent now, like a big, big interest, especially with clubs that have multi-club associations or groups," Veitch told Soccer Laduma.

"There is some interest from Man City as well, for Emile, the City Football Group. There’s interest from other big clubs, but I think with Chelsea they were the first people to really put money where their mouth is.

"I mean, everything was all expenses paid for both me and Emile for the month. You know, in South Africa, us telling him to do it, he didn’t understand the context. Now he's going to understand the context as to why he needs to do the things he needs to do."

Witbooi, the son of former Mamelodi Sundowns winger Surprise Ralani, has been outstanding for Cape Town City's reserve team since he joined in January.

Many local football enthusiasts have hailed the young star as a remarkable attacking player, following his outstanding performances for South Africa's under-15 and under-20 teams.

Given Veitch's updates since Witbooi's departure to Chelsea, it seems very probable that the young talent will succeed at the prestigious London club.

Witbooi is expected to return to South Africa in December to resume playing for Cape Town City as he will be awaiting a response from Chelsea.

It remains to be seen whether Manchester City, Leicester City, and Wolverhampton Wanderers will invite him for assessment in the near future.