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Three more young KwaZulu-Natal Academy off to Portugal to try their luck

Three more young South Africans have left for Portugal which has become the new European destination of choice for rising stars from the country.

All three are from the KwaZulu-Natal Academy‚ who have already seen one of their graduates‚ national Under-20 midfielder Thabo Cele‚ sign a five-year deal with Lisbon giants Benfica.

Sphephelo Sithole‚ a highly-rated 18-year-old midfielder‚ will try his luck at Sporting‚ with a number of clubs interested in taking the player.

Tall and powerful‚ he is in a similar mould to Bongani Zungu‚ who has been such a success at Vitoria Guimaraes this past season.

Striker Romario Morris and midfielder Simo Mbhele will spend the next season at lower league side S.U. 1º Dezembro‚ on loan from the KZN Academy.

There they will hope to catch the eye and make their moves permanent‚ in a similar vein to how Cele won his move into the big time having spent last season with third-tier Real Massamá SC.

1º Dezembro are situated about 30-kilometres north west of Lisbon and also compete in the Portuguese third-tier.

Portugal is seen as a good option for young South African players as the lifestyle is relaxed and the football suits the style of the skillful‚ less physically imposing players generally produced by the country.

In the top two leagues along there are three South Africans at Vitoria in the form of Zungu‚ Haashim Domingo and Thibang Phete‚ with Bidvest wits youngster Phakamani Mahlambi currently on trial as well.

National team player Luther Singh is at Sporting Braga‚ while last season Liam Jordan was on loan at Sporting Lisbon.

The club are in negotiations with wits to make that move permanent.

Cele will also start his first season with Benfica in the coming campaign‚ Sergio Marakis has been named captain of second-tier Uniao Madeira‚ while there are a number of other youngsters in the lower leagues.

TimesLIVE

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