Basia Michaels, the agent for Mbekezeli Mbokazi, disclosed to ESPN that the South African centre-back opted to join Chicago Fire FC primarily because the MLS team made him feel welcomed.
At 20 years old, Mbokazi was among the top performers for Bafana Bafana during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) held in Morocco. National team head coach Hugo Broos has stirred controversy by consistently criticizing his transfer to Chicago Fire from Orlando Pirates, asserting that he should be competing in a European league.
Michaels indicated that European clubs had undervalued Mbokazi in the transfer market, which enabled Chicago Fire to acquire him for approximately $3 million. However, she emphasized to ESPN that the transfer was not solely financially driven; Chicago Fire’s meticulous approach to accommodating him was also a significant factor.
“They provided me with a 60-page dossier. I wasn’t familiar with Chicago Fire myself. When I was initially contacted, I thought: ‘Okay; cool – looks appealing, looks intriguing.’ I reviewed the document they sent me,” Michaels shared with ESPN.
“Our first discussion did not revolve around financial matters. It focused on the fundamental aspects of how he would manage his daily life. When they could offer me specific assurances and explain how they would facilitate certain arrangements, the system they had in place became secondary.
“The system is excellent – it’s impressive. The U22 initiative encompasses various components, but my primary concern was solely about my client and how he would benefit from specific needs.
“For instance, food – it’s a very basic necessity. Some might wonder: ‘Why negotiate food?’ It’s crucial. I need to ensure that my client is consistently fed, has shelter, can reach training, and will receive assistance getting to training [etc.]”
Michaels clarified that once she received the necessary assurances regarding Mbokazi’s living conditions, she felt prepared to discuss financial terms and playing opportunities, knowing she was negotiating with a club that valued her client.
“Those were the initial matters addressed. That was prior to discussing personal terms and transfer fees,” Michaels added.
“Once those aspects were confirmed and all the requirements were met, with some exceptions – you win some; you lose some – it had to make holistic sense to ensure he could manage his daily life. Once that was established, everything else fell into place, making the process significantly easier.”
Michaels stated she was assured directly that Mbokazi was signed with the intention of starting in the first team, but she did not require much persuasion by the time the conversation reached that point.
Broos had claimed in December to have heard that Mbokazi would be playing for Chicago Fire’s second team, but club sources denied that assertion at the time – with Michaels supporting comments from those associated with the Men in Red.
“I must be completely honest: given the approach and the way they handled this transaction, there was no way they would have undertaken all the efforts they did to secure the player only to use him for the second team. It makes no sense,” she stated.
“We obviously needed to address the main concern (playing time), but if you look at all the pre-season matches they just completed with the Coachella Valley [Invitational], he started every single game.
“The coach (Gregg Berhalter) made it very clear to me that Mbokazi is a starter and someone he wants and needs in his team. They never indicated: ‘We could use him in the second team.’
“It was straightforward. [Berhalter said]: ‘This is a player we want. These are the objectives we aim to achieve. In achieving these objectives, this becomes the next step. From that step, we then have a third step regarding the long-term goals we have set to reach our desired outcomes.”
Importantly, Michaels asserted that the final decision rested with Mbokazi himself after his initial visit to Chicago.
“We spent about six days in Chicago. After visiting the facility and experiencing everything we did, we were certain [what the right decision was]. There was no doubt that this was an enlightening experience for both of us.
“It was like: ‘Okay, cool. This is it.’ This is a choice he made. It’s not as if we signed [and] then went to Chicago. No – we conducted a comprehensive tour of Chicago, from start to finish, and then he decided: ‘I’m going to stay.’
So far, Mbokazi’s choice appears to have been justified, as he had a solid MLS debut, starting in a 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo. Mbokazi played nearly the entire match, making a crucial goal-line clearance and block in quick succession late in the first half.
The Fire will host Montréal at Soldier Field on Saturday, providing Mbokazi the chance to make his home league debut following a mixed but overall productive outing in Texas.
