Despite penning a fresh five-year deal recently, Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Teboho Mokoena insists he has not closed the door on a move to Europe, and if his comments are anything to go by, he has target a major tournament as a platform to leave a lasting impression.
The 27-year-old was one of the stand-out performers for Bafana Bafana at the AFCON in January and played a crucial role in the Hugo Broos-led outfit that returned with a bronze medal from the continental showpiece.
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His performance fueled speculation that a move to Europe was on the cards, with both Broos and Pitso Mosimane giving their seal of approval that the 2022/23 DStv Premiership Player of the Season was ready to move to Europe.
To many's surprise, however, Mokoena would sign a new five-year-deal that ties him to Sundowns until June 30, 2029 following lengthy negotiations with the club, essentially putting an end to speculation that he could be leaving this window.
However, speaking to media ahead of the side's MTN8 semi-final first leg against Stellenbosch FC, he insisted the dream to play in Europe remained a possibility.
"The dream is still alive. We still have the Club World Cup, so we will see next year," said Mokoena.
"I'm happy to be at the club, the only thing [is that] I signed the contract was because I know the project here and I want to be part of that.
"It was an easy decision for me to stay here because we still have the Club World Cup, the CAF [Champions League], AFL [African Football League], and I still have Bafana on the side," added the former SuperSport United star.
In the FIFA Club World Cup, Mokwena could have the chance to rub shoulders against top-class stars from renowned teams such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. This is where he seems to be hoping to attract European scouts for a big move.
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The match against Stellies is scheduled to kick off at 19:00 on Wednesday at Lucas Moripe Stadium.