WATCH: Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos & Percy Tau's former team promotes Shandre Campbell! SA under-20 star to play for Uefa Champions League & Belgian Pro League side Club Brugge

SuperSport United CEO Stan Matthews has confirmed that Shandre Campbell has joined Belgian Pro League giants Club Brugge's first team.

The talented left-footed player left the Tshwane outfit in July 2024 for Brugge's reserve team, Club NXT, which is competing in the Belgian Challenger Pro League.

After showcasing strong performances in the reserve team, Campbell has now been promoted to Brugge's senior team who once had Bafana Bafana vice-captain Percy Tau on their roster a few years back.

"We have let many players go in the past, but we are building a sustainable model for our football club. People will say, ‘Oh, Shandre, you let Shandre go too early.’ Yes, from a traditional football perspective, we would have loved to have kept Shandre for another two or three seasons, and maybe he would have been worth even more money by then," Matthews told the media as per Sportswire.

"But the acceleration he is showing in Europe right now, he has just been called up from the second team to the Brugge first team. Their CEO (Bob Madou) called me on Friday morning to say Shandre has been promoted to the first team after six goals and two assists with the reserve team.

"So, now he is training full-time with the first team, and a player like Shandre, in two or three years’ time, could be worth 40-50 million Euros. Our percentage sale on Shandre, although we are not getting anything now, we are paying the price, and it is tough," He added.

"In two or three years' time, our percentage sale could be worth literally dozens of millions of rands, which is great and sustainable for the club. It is the same thing we got for Ime Okon, who has two opportunities abroad."

Campbell has produced great performances for Club NXT since he arrived at the club seven months ago. He scored six goals and delivered one assist across 13 league matches.

Despite being promoted to the senior side, the South Africa under-20 star can still play for Club NXT at any point if he struggles to get playing time in the first team.

Brugge are scheduled to take on Italy's Atalanta BC in the Uefa Champions League playoffs later this month.

Interestingly, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos confirmed last year that he has been keeping an eye on Campbell and intends to provide him with an opportunity to play for the senior national team at the appropriate time.

Campbell will strive to impress Brugge's first team head coach Nicky Hayen and establish himself as a regular starter in the Pro League.

Furthermore, he will also aim to convince former Brugge player and coach Broos that he is ready to play for Bafana Bafana.