TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS:Signing
FC Cincinnati have signed free-agent midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo by using Targeted Allocation Money, the club announced Thursday. Mokotjo, 29, will occupy an international roster slot and officially join the roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P1 Visa.
“We are pleased to add a player in Kamo who will be a strong fit for what we are looking to do at FC Cincinnati,” general manager Gerard Nijkamp said in a release. “He is an intelligent player that will be an asset for our club on both sides of the pitch. We look forward to welcoming Kamo to Cincinnati and having him integrate within our locker room.”
He’s earned 13 caps to date with South Africa’s national team. He was recently with English Championship side Brentford, making 26 appearances this past season with one goal and two assists across all competitions, before being out of contract.
“I felt like now is the right moment for a new challenge at a club that has big potential and is willing to challenge itself,” Mokotjo said in a release. “I think in a way this is a perfect match. I’m honored and ready to relish this opportunity and challenge.”
Mokotjo has prior stops in Holland at Feyenoord (2009-13), Excelsior (2009-10), PEC Zwolle (2013-14) and FC Twente (2014-17). He joined Brentford in 2017, his latest stop before arriving in MLS. Back home in South Africa, Mokotjo broke into SuperSport United’s first team in 2008, paving the way for a career that now has 338 career first-team appearances with 12 goals and 36 assists across 12 professional seasons.
He’s featured in over 150 Eredivisie games, leading to some inherent familiarity with Nijkamp and head coach Jaap Stam. Nijkamp was technical director at PEC Zwolle before arriving in Cincy, and Stam was formerly the manager of both PEC Zwolle and Feyenoord.
During Stam’s early days in charge of the Orange and Blue, he’s turned to a midfield trio of youngster Frankie Amaya, DM Caleb Stanko and veteran Haris Medunjanin in an ultra-conservative 5-3-2 formation. They also recently traded center mid Fatai Alashe to the Columbus Crew SC, leaving the door open for roster additions. Allan Cruz, a DP and arguably their top player in 2019, is also on the roster.
