South African-born striker Lyle Foster made headlines on Wednesday evening after he signed a four-and-a-half year deal with EFL (English Football League) Championship runaway log leaders Burnley FC.
The versatile striker, who hails from Johannesburg, was signed from Belgian side KVC Westerlo. He started his football career at the age of 12 when he was discovered by former Orlando Pirates head coach Augusto Palacios.
Foster went on to displaying promising performances in the ranks of the Bucs academy and gained himself promotion to the first team in 2017. He made his debut in the Premier Soccer League against Maritzburg United under coach Milutin Sredojevic.
His journey in Europe started when French Ligue 1 side AS Monaco came knocking in 2019, paying €1.20-million (R22-million) to Pirates for the services of the then 18-year-old Foster. He first played for AS Monaco’s B team under coach David Bechkoura.
Like many other South African players who move to Europe, Foster struggled at Monaco and was loaned out to Cercle Brugge who played in the Belgian first division, where he only managed to score one goal.
Foster continued being a promising prospect in Europe and attracted the attention of Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes, who snatched him from Monaco on a permanent deal worth €1.2-million.
The Noordgesig, Soweto-born talisman was loaned out to Westerlo in the 2021/22 season, following in the footsteps of Percy Tau. Foster made 23 appearances and scored four goals, helping Westerlo gain automatic promotion to the Belgian Pro League.
The Belgian outfit signed the striker on a permanent deal and he has since contributed eight goals and three assists in 21 appearances this season.
On Wednesday, Burnley signed the 22-year-old for a reported €7-million, which could possibly rise to €10-million, if the Clarets get promoted to the English Premier League next season, making Foster the most expensive player in South African football history.
Give a warm welcome to South African international Lyle Foster from Belgian side K.V.C. Westerlo for an undisclosed fee 🇿🇦
The 22-year-old striker has penned a four-and-a-half-year deal at Turf Moor and becomes the Clarets’ third signing of the January transfer window ✍️
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial) January 25, 2023
“I’m very happy to be here,” Foster told the Burnley website. “I’m blessed and thankful for the opportunity. I just can’t wait to get started.
“From the moment I heard that there was interest from Burnley, my heart and my head were set on the club. I’m so happy to be here. It’s a dream for me.”
Former Manchester City star Vincent Kompany, who coaches Burnley, seems to have a thing for South African players, having previously coached Tau during his stint at Anderlecht.
Burnley visit Ipswich Town in the FA Cup fourth-round encounter on Saturday, and Foster will be eying a home debut when they welcome Preston at Turf Moor on February 11.
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