Mamelodi Sundowns have officially signed South African striker Lebo Mothiba on a free transfer. The forward had been without a club since the start of the season and was training with the team before sealing the move.
Long absence from football
Mothiba has been sidelined from competitive action since December 2023, following an injury he sustained while playing for Strasbourg against Lorient in the French Ligue 1. His last club was Strasbourg, where he spent several seasons before leaving as a free agent last summer while still didn't fully recover from injury.
The 29-year-old striker has been in France for over 10 seasons, featuring for clubs such as Valenciennes, Lille, Strasbourg, and Troyes. Since leaving Strasbourg last summer, he remained without a club until joining Sundowns.
Career stats
During his time with Strasbourg, Mothiba played 96 matches, scoring 20 goals and providing six assists. He previously featured with Lille where he scored 6 goals in 17 Ligue 1 matches before spending a season and a half with Ligue 2 side Valenciennes where he scored 10 goals in 29 matches.
In the 2023/24 season for Strasbourg, he featured in 15 games, accumulating a total of 610 minutes while averaging less than 41 minutes per match. With limited game time, he managed to score three goals.
At the international level, Mothiba has fourteen caps with the South African national team and four goals.
Injury History
Mothiba has faced three long-term injuries in his career:
2023/24 Season: Missed 22 games due to a 158-day injury layoff.
2021/22 Season: Missed 23 games after being sidelined for 169 days.
2020/21 Season: Missed 17 games following a 144-day injury absence.
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