Cape Town City chairman John Comitis has confirmed that the club’s
highly-rated teenager, Emile Witbooi, is attracting significant interest
from European giants, including a recent training assessment with Portuguese
powerhouses Sporting Lisbon.
This follows a previous stint with English Premier League side Chelsea in
2024, underscoring the burgeoning reputation of the young talent.
A European Future on the Horizon
In an exclusive interview, Comitis acknowledged the widespread scouting of
Witbooi but confirmed the club’s plan to retain him until he turns 18 in
August next year.
“It’s a few teams. He was with Sporting Lisbon for two weeks in September,”
Comitis revealed. “So everyone is waiting to see when he turns 18… It will
be very difficult for us to hold onto him. We are taking it one step at a
time… there is a lot of interest in him.”
Club Form and National Duty
The conversation also turned to Cape Town City’s recent improved form in the
Motsepe Foundation Championship, with Comitis emphasizing the importance of
building a “solid base” for sustained success following two consecutive
victories.
Meanwhile, Witbooi has now joined the South African U-17 national team
(Amajimbos) at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Comitis explained that the
winger’s delayed departure was at the club’s request, allowing him to
feature in one final match this past weekend before linking up with the
squad.
This global tournament presents a major opportunity for Witbooi to showcase
his skills on the world stage, potentially further amplifying the interest
from clubs across the globe. He is one of four Cape Town City players
representing Amajimbos in Qatar, alongside Abulele Dlekedla, Sive Pama, and
Joshua Taylor.
