Ashley Du Preez admits to being emotional after completing a dream move from Stellenbosch to Kaizer Chiefs.
The 24-year-old came through the ranks at Stellies and made his professional as a 19-year-old before helping his team secure their place in the DStv Premiership in 2019.
Du Preez netted nine times and created a further three goals as the Cape-based club ended the recently completed top-flight campaign in fourth place.
He signed a three-year deal with Amakhosi on Monday and says it was a “hard decision to make to leave Stellenbosch”.
Du Preez told KickOff: “I feel happy and sad. I feel happy and sad, but I am excited to take on this new chapter in my life and my career at Kaizer Chiefs. I am looking forward to it.
“I had an amazing time at Stellenbosch. I will miss the club, the players, the coaches, everything. What this club has done for me is amazing. They helped me so much and. It’s hard to get the words out to even talk about what this club has done for me.
“It was a hard, hard, hard, hard decision to make to leave Stellenbosch. I thought about it for a long time whether or not I wanted to leave or if should stay but if you want to go further in your career, and if you want to go abroad one day, these are the things you have to do.
“These are the decisions you have to make. I do want to go further in my football career, and I want to go abroad, and this is one step that will open many doors in the future ahead.”
Du Preez added that he expects to return to Stellies one day.
“The last 12 months have been up and down, and I couldn’t have imagined being in this position. I never thought I’d be able to be in this position. Stellenbosch helped me so much to showcase my abilities so all thanks go to them. There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back one day. I want to come back at the end of my career and play at home again for a few seasons,” he said.
“There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back one day.”