Mdaka Speaks on Uncertainty Over Club Brugge's Decision to Release Campbell for U20 AFCON

• Amajita head coach Raymond Mdaka has commented on having Club Brugge release Shandre Campbell for the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations
• The former Cape Town City star was recently promoted to the Belgian club's first team and it might be difficult for them to let him go
• The 2025 U-20 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held from April 26 to May 18, 2025 in Ivory Coast

Amajita head coach Raymond Mdaka has spoken about the uncertainty regarding Club Brugge’s decision to release rising star Shandre Campbell for the Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations competition.

The South African U-20 side are already making preparations for the tournament and they thrashed Botswana 6-0 in a friendly game at the UJ Soweto Campus on Saturday, March 22, 2025.

Mdaka has released a 30-man preliminary squad for the competition a few days ago, and he's expected to reduce the team to 23 ahead of the tournament.

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Mdaka’s preliminary squad is made up entirely of local-based players, with Kaizer Chiefs contributing the most players, having seven in the squad, while Mamelodi Sundowns has five players included.

Mdaka opens up on Campbell's availability for U-20 AFCON

In an interview with Football Stage as per FARPost, Mdaka comments on the possibility of having Campbell in his team for the AFCON competition in Ivory Coast next month.

"We’ve been in great communication with Club Brugge regarding Shandre Campbell," Mdaka mentioned in a post-match interview with Football Stage.

"Shandre was part of our initial camp when we began assembling the team. When we travelled to Lesotho, he had just started playing in Belgium, and we made the decision not to include him in the squad. This gave him the opportunity to settle in with his new teammates since it was only a friendly match."

"We agreed to bring him in for the 2024 COSAFA U-20 Championships, and we’ve followed through with that. Right now, the senior team manager is still in talks with Club Brugge. According to our agreement, Shandre and Lowe Fletcher will both be part of the squad for the AFCON."

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Amajita have been drawn in Group B, where they will face Egypt, Nigeria, and Morocco. The underage competition is scheduled to take place from April 26 to May 18, 2025.

This competition will act as the qualifier for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which is set to be held in Chile from September 27 to October 19, 2025. The semifinalists of this year's U-20 AFCON will secure their spots and travel to Chile for the global tournament.

Campbell meets English star after historic UCL night

Briefly News also reported that Shandre Campbell met with England international after Club Brugge's clash with English Premier League side Aston Villa in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.

The South African youngster was named among the substitute for the first time in the European competition by the Belgian club but failed to make his debut.

Source: Briefly News