Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has said that he has secured the services of right-back Joel Untersee‚ currently on loan from Juventus to Empoli‚ to play for the South African national team.

Untersee‚ born in Benoni‚ had played for Switzerland‚ where he grew up and resides officially‚ at junior level.

Baxter had been in contact for several months with the 24-year-old right-back‚ who was signed in 2016 by Juventus from Swiss club Vaduz but spent the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons on loan at Serie B Brescia then Empoli.

“In the Winter I’ve been in Europe twice.

"I’ve secured one extra player for South Africa‚” Baxter said on Tuesday.

“A player who plays in Italy‚ who was born in Benoni‚ Joel Untersee‚ who’s committed himself to South Africa instead of Switzerland.

“He had played Under-21 for Switzerland‚ and he now wants to turn back to South Africa.”

Untersee has played 13 league games in Serie B this season with Empoli‚ and played 39 in 2016-17 for Brescia.