Bafana Bafana striker Lyle Foster is already hard at work as he joined Burnley in their first pre-season training session upon their sensational English Premier League return next season.
Foster was spotted at the Burnley Training Centre training with a smaller group than usual, with many players away on international duty on Monday.
First day of pre-season: ✅ pic.twitter.com/WEgbpCIU9H
— Burnley FC 🏆 (@BurnleyOfficial) June 5, 2023
Ahead of Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Morocco on June 17, the 22-year-old was one of the notable absentees from coach Hugo Broos’ 34-man preliminary squad.
According to reports, Foster was intentionally left out after Broos and his Belgian compatriot and Burnley coach Vincent Kompany agreed to allow Foster to begin the first pre-season training with the club, as Bafana have already qualified for the continental competition that will be staged in Ivory Coast next year.
The South African-born striker joined the Clarets on a four-and-a-half-year deal from Belgian outfit KVC Westerlo during the January transfer window – in what was the most expensive deal to be brokered in SA football history.
Foster will become the first Bafana international to play in the Premier League after Al Ahly’s Percy Tau, who had an unsuccessful spell with Brighton & Hove Albion recently.
The 2023/24 Premier League season will kick-off on August 12.
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