United's Lakay off to Spurs for trial

Supersport United winger Lyle Lackay has been invited for a trial at Tottenham Hotspur.

Lakay, 19, leaves for London on Thursday, along with United teammate, midfielder Damian Mitchell.

The pair will be assessed by the Spurs coaching staff for a week, though an immediate transfer is unlikely due to the UK's policy against issuing work permits for players who have not represented their senior national team in competition. For Lakay, it's a chance to build his growing reputation.

He introduced himself to South African fans last season with a fine goal for FC Cape Town against Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup.

"We caught them off guard with a break and I received a through-ball to finish past Arthur Bartman from a tight angle," he recalls with pride.

United coach Gavin Hunt is unusually lavish in his praise for Lackay, who hails from Athlone in Cape Town.

"He's a very good left-sided winger," says Hunt. "I identified him three years ago, and then we loaned him to FC Cape Town because we already had Daine Klate and Masibusane Zongo.

"We don't like to have inactive players, so we always loan them out. And he's come back stronger," he said.

"Lakay's got a good future. It's a matter of time before he matures fully, until then he's going to be a bit up and down.

"But he's a nice kid, with a good attitude, and that's why he will go far. He's one of the better crossers around, and a good finisher too."

Regarding the troubled Zongo, Hunt expressed his regret that the ill-disciplined young winger has been in trouble already at Vasco da Gama, the club he has only just signed for.

"Zongo is his own worst enemy," says Hunt.

"He's potentially a magnificent player. I like the kid - I like him a lot. But in football it takes so much more than ability to succeed. I am very upset and sad about what's happened at Vasco."

Meanwhile, United captain Bongani Khumalo's long-waited move to Spurs is still on course, despite recent silence on the transfer from both clubs.

The Bafana defender's contract to join Spurs during the January transfer window is expected to be finalised by midweek, though a work permit has not yet been obtained.

Khumalo has appeared in fewer than 75% of Bafana's competitive internationals over the past two years, so Spurs will need to make a special application to the UK Home Office to secure a work permit.

But Khumalo's youth and strong World Cup campaign should sway the authorities.