Rivaldo joins Scottish giants
This was the official statement from the club official
website regarding the deal.
Ajax Cape Town IS extremely proud to announce an agreement
with Glasgow Celtic, for the sale of defender Rivaldo Coetzee HAS BEEN CONCLUDED.
The Urban Warriors have since it’s inception in 1999 paved
the way for African stars to make their way to the riches of the European
Leagues, and Coetzee will now join the likes of Steven Pienaar, Daylon Claasen,
Eyong Enoh and Thulani Serero in making the move abroad from the Parow-based
club.
Entrenched in our vision – Our Youth Our Future – is
nurturing players to eventually ply their trade in the top leagues of world
football.
Coetzee, who joined Ajax Cape Town as a fresh faced
15-year-old, will now be aiming to make a name for himself at one of the
globe’s most iconic and successful club side’s.
Celtic, who are the reigning Scottish League Champions, are
currently on a 52 game unbeaten run following a 2-0 win over Kilmarnock FC this
past weekend.
‘The Hoops’ have won their country’s top division title on
48 occasions with their trophy cabinet boasting a further 37 Scottish Cup
crowns, 16 Scottish League Cup titles and 1 European Cup for their victory in
the 1967 final in Lisbon.
Former Liverpool head coach, Brendan Rodgers, is currently
in charge at Celtic Park, with the Northern Irishman having closely monitored
Coetzee’s progress with club representatives having traveled to the Mother City
this year.
Rodgers believes Coetzee is a perfect fit for Celtic as he
is a ball-playing dual-footed centre-back with an impressive range of pass –
set to bolster the club’s ranks.
Going beyond their domestic success, Celtic have in the past
few season’s offered a valuable launching pad to players boasting aspirations
of playing in the English Premier League.
Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama and Fraser Foster all made a
name for themselves in Glasgow before making the switch across to England’s
top-flight.
Add to the equation the fact that Celtic could be play UEFA
Champions League football this season, a move to Scotland is an exciting one
for our reigning Player and Player’s Player of the Season.
Coetzee, 20, made his debut for the club in February 2014
having graduated to the First Team from the club’s Youth Academy – starting
from the onset in a 2-0 win over Polokwane City.
The Kakamas-born defender would go onto make close to 100
appearances for the club, scoring his only goal in a 1-1 draw at home to Golden
Arrows at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening. The match would prove to be
his swansong in the red and white of the Urban Warriors.
Coetzee, who was the youngest ever Bafana Bafana player – a
record later broke by Fagrie Lakay – made his debut for he country’s National
Team in a 2-0 win over Congo-Brazzaville on the 11th of October 2014, aged 17.
In total, he has racked up 16 Senior Team appearances,
notable representing South Africa at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
Moreover, Coetzee captained the successful 2016 COSAFA Cup
winning team while also making a name for himself at the Rio Olympics in Brazil
later that same year.
Coetzee, who also traveled to Amsterdam with the Young Ajax
squad on a couple of occasions, will join Celtic on a permanent deal, subject
to the defender receiving a work permit and completing a medical.
Everyone at Ajax Cape Town is extremely proud to see one of
our own take the next step in their football career and wishes Coetzee all the
best in his future endeavors.
Good luck and make us proud ‘Riva’!
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