European clubs queue up to sign Dikgacoi

Bafana Bafana holding midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi is set to play in Europe after the Confederations Cup in June.

The Golden Arrows captain and midfield anchorman revealed that he was weighing up his options after two English clubs as well as sides in Greece and Russia had shown interest in his services.

The 24-year-old Dikgacoi, who had trials with English Premiership outfit Fulham in 2008, received tentative offers from Portsmouth, relegated West Bromwich Albion, Greek giants Panathinaikos and an unnamed Russian side.

Training with Fulham in 2008 increased the soft-spoken Bafana strongman's hunger for international soccer.

"I will make a decision on my future after the Confederations Cup. The Fulham deal fell through because I had not earned enough caps for Bafana at that stage and could not get a work permit in England," Dikgacoi explained.

"But that has changed now. I need to play two more games during the Confederations Cup and I will have enough caps for an English work permit."

But Dikgacoi is keeping his options open.

"The Confederations Cup will be my shop window," he said. "There will be a lot of overseas scouts, so it is up to me to perform well.

But first I have to run my heart out at training and catch the technical team's eye and make sure I am in their plans for the opening match against Iraq."

The Brandfort-born midfielder said he was ready to move and had played his last game for Arrows.

"I need to play overseas to develop my career. I am looking forward to playing in the Confederations Cup, which will be a tremendous experience for me and my teammates."

Dikgacoi has a strong self-belief and his hard-tackling, no-nonsense style of play is well suited to the English game.

"I always play hard and that was what impressed Fulham; now Portsmouth and West Brom have come into the picture," he said. "But if either move does not work out I have other good options open to me." - Sapa