Benni McCarthy can be proud of the work he’s doing at Old Trafford. Image: @kickoffmagazine / Twitter.
Is Benni McCarthy the most expensive South African footballer ever?
Former Orlando Pirates and Porto striker Benni McCarthy fetched plenty of big transfer fees in his time. Is he the priciest SA player ever?
Benni McCarthy can be proud of the work he’s doing at Old Trafford. Image: @kickoffmagazine / Twitter.
Former Orlando Pirates, Porto and Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy is one of the true GOAT footballers in Bafana history. Is he the most expensive South African footballer ever though?
Benni fetched plenty of big transfer fees, but no, he isn’t the priciest South African ever.
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Benni McCarthy was formerly the most expensive South African footballer ever when Celta Vigo paid Ajax €6m (R113 million) for his services. That’s until Lyle Foster came along. After Benni, Joburg-born playmaker Steven Pienaar was the second-most expensive when in 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, looking good in their Premier League promotion chase, have paid €7m upfront, with a further €3m of add-ons directly related to whether they gain promotion to the EPL. If they succeed, Foster’s move will amount to a staggering R187.7 million.
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22-year-old Foster has made four appearances for the Clarets, in which time they’ve collected three wins and a draw. His first start for the club was in their FA Cup fourth round replay against Ipswich. He claimed an assist in that game.
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BURNLEY FLYING UNDER KOMPANY
Burnley have lost just two of 33 games under Kompany this term. They’re sitting pretty, 17 points clear of third-placed Middlesbrough. All they need is a finish inside the top two to gain automatic promotion to the promised land of the Premier League.
Foster’s switch from Westerlo, in a deal that could rise to €10m, is an all-time record fee paid for a South African footballer.
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