Orlando Pirates fumbled a R22.5 Million bag and it could get worse

Orlando Pirates made a foolish business decision when they sold Lyle Foster to Monaco in 2019. It could come back to bite them again.

Orlando Pirates dropped the ball with Foster

Lyle Foster signed for Burnley at the start of 2023 from Belgian side Westerlo. Since then, he’s thrived for the Clarets. The 23-year-old helped them to Premier League promotion and now he’s an integral member of their squad in the English top-flight.

According to FIFA rules, a club that developed an U23 player is obliged to accrue a payment for every international transfer the player makes. Pirates waived their share of future sell-on fees with Lyle Foster when he moved to Monaco in 2019. The Ligue 1 Principality side paid R20 million for him. That’s a tiny proportion of the €11 million (R225 million) that Burnley shelled out for the talented Bafana striker.

The Pirates board fumbled the bag here. It’s a decision that will come back to haunt them.

Lyle Foster. Image from Twitter@KamoMotecwane

Foster is SA’s priciest ever and could shatter his record

Benni McCarthy was formerly the most expensive South African footballer ever when Celta Vigo paid Ajax €6m (R113 million) for his services. 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 paid €7m upfront, with a further €4m of add-ons triggered because of their promotion to the Premier League. Foster’s move is going to amount to something approaching a staggering R225 million but now his value is estimated at €13m (R264 million). Pirates could have had a 10% chunk of that fee.

Money money money

In today’s financial climate, Burnley could easily fetch around double for the South African star. That’s even if they get relegated and forced to sell their most valuable assets. Foster has five goals and three assists in 20 EPL appearances for a struggling Burnley side fighting for their lives at the foot of the table. If they do sell, and fetch around €20m (R400 Million) for the star striker, Pirates will see it and know they could have enjoyed a significant chunk of that sale.

Lyle Foster battles Kyle Walker (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)

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