St. Louis City SC Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel has explained their reason for signing former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Njabulo Blom.
It was an open secret that Blom and Chiefs had reached a deadlock in negotiations over a new contract, which was set to expire at the end of the season.
With reports swirling that clubs such as Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport United were keen on accommodating the 23-year old, Chiefs were working around the clock to ensure they don't lose their academy graduate to local rivals.
The Glamour Boys did everything in their power to hold on to the Bafana Bafana midfielder but, as revealed by Sporting Director Kaizer Motaung Jnr, there was another option on the table, a potential move to St. Louis City, which was months in the making.
Read: Chiefs' Motivation Behind Blom's Deal To St. Louis Revealed
The Major League Soccer outfit, in their first season in the American top flight, were searching for a defensive midfielder and given that their first ever head coach Bradley Carnell is a South African and a Chiefs legend, things fell into place to acquire the services of a rising South African international.
Blom was already having a great season under former Amakhosi coach Arthur Zwane as a defensive midfielder despite the contractual saga popping up every now and then.
Pfannenstiel, who was previously at German Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim, says the acquisition of 'Stoppa' is exactly what they were looking for.
"We are excited to bring a young South African national team player like Blom to our squad and St. Louis," Pfannenstiel told the club's media.
"His ball-winning, super aggressive, warrior qualities as a central defensive midfielder match what we are looking for in our philosophy.
"Blom's addition to our team is exactly the missing puzzle piece we needed," he added.
Read: Zwane's Glowing Tribute To Protégé Blom
Blom's "aggression" in midfield could be traced back to having defender's mindset, after actually playing a large part of his matches at Chiefs as a right-back.
After making 30 appearances in all competitions for Chiefs last season mainly as a full-back, the 23-year old's versatility will surely also be welcomed by his new employers.
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