Cape Town City captain Thami Mkhize has been left impressed by their new signing Juan Camilo Zapata.
The 28-year-old Colombian joined City from Venezuelan side Colmenarez in a ‘club-record’ deal said to be over the R10-million mark.
He joins Cameroon international Bertrand Mani forward and former Kaizer Chiefs defender Lorenzo Gordinho as new signings as they look to better their opening half of the season that sees them languish in 13th place, two points off the drop zone.
Mkhize feels Zapata, much like fellow South American Darwin Gonzalez, will make a solid addition to their squad.
“I feel like they are good with their feet. But so far, so good. Ever since he’s joined us, you can see he’s got quality,” he said in Edition 85 of iDiski Times.
“He’s a quality player. He just needs us to help him to adapt to South African football, and make sure maybe he adapts quickly because you could see his potential is going to help the team.”
Zapata scored 19 goals and registered three assists in 35 games last season for the Venezuelan top flight and featured in the Copa Sudamericana.
But it’s not just the foreigners who will need special attention as Mkhize stated the likes of Gordinho will also need a grace period to settle into his new surroundings.
The 28-year-old spent the last two seasons in Denmark with Viborg and Køge respectively before returning to South Africa last month.
“For Gordinho, because he’s played in the PSL for a long time, for us is to make sure that he gels with the team, and he must feel welcomed because whoever joins the team,” the Bafana Bafana international added.
“He must feel part of the team and he must come here with a positive mindset and feel at home and make sure that he comes and performs.”
