Benni McCarthy snags Belgian teen international for Cape Town City

Cape Town City appear to have landed another coup in the transfer market after the capture of Belgium junior international Keith Groeneveld.

The 19-year-old defender was born in Kimberley to a Belgian father and South African mother‚ but moved to Europe at the age of four.

He has come through the junior ranks at KV Mechelen and Standard Liege‚ and was once offered the chance to sign for the Manchester United academy‚ but felt at the time he was too young to move to England.

Groeneveld can sign for City as he held amateur status at Liege and was not on a professional contract‚ so will be available immediately for coach Benni McCarthy.

He has also been named in the South African provisional squad for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup‚ and has already piqued the interest of Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter.

Groeneveld is the latest high-profile signing made by City in recent months‚ including former Netherlands junior international Chris David and ex-Ajax Cape Town midfielder Travis Graham.

The latter is set to miss the remainder of the season with a fracture though‚ more bad luck for a player seeking to reignite his professional career.