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Mokotjo: Brentford part ways with Bafana Bafana midfielder
The 29-year-old is clubless after being released by the Championship side following the expiry of his contract
English Championship side Brentford have officially confirmed they have parted ways with midfielder Kamohelo Mokotjo and Nikos Karelis.
The Bafana Bafana star had been with Brentford for the past three years and was recently handed a two-month contract extension until the end of the season.
However, the club felt he was no longer in their manger's plans for the upcoming season and showed him the exit door.
His departure comes on the back of Brentford's failure to secure promotion to the Premier League following their loss to Fulham earlier this week.
"Brentford FC can confirm that Nikos Karelis and Kamohelo Mokotjo have now left the club," reads part of the statement as released by Brentford.
The pair signed short-term extensions to contracts that expired on 30 June to take them through until the day after Brentford’s final game of the 2019/20 season, as per EFL protocol implemented due to the three-month cessation of fixtures because of the Covid-19 pandemic. With the campaign ending on Tuesday, Nikos and Kamohelo will now leave."
Mokotjo featured 102 times across all competitions for the English side since his arrival from FC Twente in 2017.
This season only, the midfielder made a whopping 29 appearances for Brendfort and his exclusion from the play-offs took the majority of South African football fans by surprise.
"Kamohelo leaves at the end of his third season in West London and has played 102 games in all competitions for Brentford, scoring six times. He joined from FC Twente, in the Netherlands, in 2017 and, after starting out with SuperSport United in his home country, also played in the Dutch leagues for Feyenoord and S.B.V. Excelsior."
"The midfield player has made 26 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring in the win at Wigan Athletic, as well as being a regular for South Africa. He appeared for his country in the Africa Cup of Nations last summer and now has 21 caps to his name," continued the statement.
Brentford manager Thomas Frank wished both Mokotjo and Karelis well in their futures, saying they played a huge role in helping the club reach the level it is in this season.
"On behalf of everyone at Brentford FC, I would like to wish Nikos and Kamo all the best for the future.
"It has been a pleasure to work with them and they have given their all for the club, on the pitch in the games they have played and in training, where their work has helped the group develop over the season," he said.
Frank added: "Nikos has been very unfortunate, and I wish him better luck with injuries in the years to come as he has proven his quality. Kamo has been superb for us over three years and now has the opportunity to take on a new challenge. They are part of the Brentford FC story and I hope we see them again."
