New Maghreb Fez striker Tshegofatso Mabasa has revealed that several clubs showed serious interest in signing him before he completed his move to the Moroccan outfit, admitting that negotiations took place but ultimately fell short.
The former Orlando Pirates forward had been linked with a number of clubs, including Kaizer Chiefs, Egyptian giants Pyramids FC, where Rulani Mokwena has since taken charge, and teams from the Gulf region during the transfer window.
While Mabasa stopped short of naming the clubs involved, he confirmed that there were multiple discussions before Mas Fes emerged as his preferred destination.
“There were a lot of deliberations between a couple of clubs. It’s just unfortunate I don’t want to mention names and all of that, but yes there were negotiations, things happened, a few stumbling blocks here and there,” Mabasa told iDiski Times.
Despite the widespread speculation surrounding his future, Mabasa insisted that a move to Mas Fes was always the option that appealed to him the most.
“But the obvious one for me, as I said before, has always been this one [move to Fes]. That’s why I’m saying I’m truly grateful for the effort they put in to make this deal happen, so kudos to them.
“And look, I value the opinion they have on me. It’s now up to me as a player to work hard and show they didn’t make a mistake in bringing me here.”
The striker now begins a new chapter in Morocco, determined to repay the faith shown by Mas Fes after the club successfully secured his signature following weeks of transfer discussions and competition from other interested teams.