Harambee Stars defender Brian Mandela has finally landed a new club in South Africa as he begins a new chapter after ending his spell with champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
Harambee Stars defender Brian Mandela has finally been unveiled by South African club Stellenbosch FC, ending speculation over his future.
Mandela attracted interest from a number of South African clubs after being released by Mamelodi Sundowns and was rumoured to be close to joining SuperSport United before Stellenbosch stepped up their interest.
The Stellies have won the race for his signature, becoming the fourth South African club that the defender will play for, following his stints with Sundowns, Maritzburg United and Santos.
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“Brian is a player who has enjoyed great success during his career and we are looking forward to adding his experience and winning mentality to our squad,” Stellenbosch FC CEO Rob Benadie said, as posted on the club’s website.
“He has been brought in to bolster our defensive line and we have no doubt that he will make a valuable contribution towards both our domestic and continental ambitions.”
Mandela becomes the first Kenyan player to represent Stellenbosch FC and will wear the No. 2 jersey this season.
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Mandela endured a tough spell at Sundowns since joining the club in 2020 from Maritzburg, despite winning three league titles, with injuries and poor form limiting his opportunities.
The 2023-24 campaign saw him claim his third straight South African top-flight crown with the Brazilians but it was another season when he played a peripheral role.
Just like the 2021-22 and 2022-23 campaigns, Mandela was blighted by injuries and poor form that saw him given few minutes by former coach Rulani Mokwena.
He made 61 appearances in all competitions in the yellow and blue of Sundowns, with nine of those coming last term, three in the league.
Overall, he has made over 200 appearances in South African football and is set to boost the Stellenbosch defence after the club lost captain Deano van Royen to Orlando Pirates.
Stellenbosch are a highly ambitious club and finished third in the South African top flight last season to secure CAF Confederation Cup qualification.
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They easily sailed through to the second preliminary round of the competition after thrashing Nsingizini Hotspurs of eSwatini 8-0 on aggregate in the first round to set up a meeting with AS Vita of DR Congo.
They are also in the MTN8 semi-final where they will take on Mandela’s former club Sundowns with the first of the two-legged tie primed for Wednesday.