FC Cincinnati made their first summer signing on Thursday morning when they announced the arrival of midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo using Targeted Allocation Money.
While Mokotjo hasn’t arrived in the Queen City yet, the South Africa international is a significant addition to FCC’s midfield.
“It’s been a long time coming,” he said about joining the team. “We’ve been in talks and I’m glad everything went well.”
Mokotjo joins Cincinnati after previously playing for Brentford FC in the English Championship. Before that, played in the Netherlands – alongside Maikel van der Werff – and in South Africa. He said he’s excited to play in MLS.
“I’ve had a long history of football, but I just felt like now is the right moment for a new challenge at a club where the club has a big potential and is ready to challenge themselves,” Mokotjo said. “I’m the person who’s always going to challenge myself. In a way, I think this is a perfect match.”
While he can play as a defensive midfielder or in more of a box-to-box role, the South African said his priority is doing everything necessary to earn results for the Orange and Blue. Where head coach Jaap Stam plays Mokotjo isn’t as important as winning games, the player said.
“My main focus is how my style aligns with FC Cincinnati because we’re trying to build a brand of football that we play, and a culture we play,” he said. “It’s always about focusing on what you want to do first and doing that best.
“I’ve seen a few games in MLS and it’s very unpredictable, so it’s very important that we focus on our own game. I thrive in it. I’m just looking forward to the culture. I see Cincinnati and being part of MLS, it’s going to be different than playing in Europe, but I’m looking forward to it.”
