According to BBC, Brighton have completed the signing of Percy Tau from South African side Mamelodi Sundowns. The 24-year-old is the seventh signing for the Seagulls this summer following the arrivals of Jason Steele, David Button, Bernardo, Leon Balogun, Yves Bissouma and Florin Andone. Tau has signed a four-year deal after completing a move in the region of £2.8million.
Tau has almost spent his entire career at Sundowns except for a loan stint at hometown side Witbanks Spurs in the National First Division, South Africa’s second-tier competition, in 2016. The centre-forward scored 13 goals for Mamelodi across all competitions as they won the South African ABSA Premiership title.
His exploits saw him get crowned as the division’s Player of the Year. The 24-year-old striker, who can also play as a secondary striker or a left-winger, has been capped 12 times by his country South Africa and has netted 5 times.
The Mpumalanga native has won the South African Premier Premiership title twice, in 2014 and 2018, CAF Champions League and CAF Super Cup. He also featured for Sundowns in the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup. Tau will immediately go out on a season-long loan deal to play regularly and get some experience of European football after failing to secure a UK work permit Visa.
Tau is a proven scorer, albeit in a league whose quality is equivalent to England’s lower tiers. The versatile attacker scored 11 league goals, one less than the 12 goals that ageing striker Glenn Murray managed to score last season.
Murray’s haul accounted for 35% of Brighton’s league goals, with the Seagulls netting 34 times in the Premier League last term. At 34, Murray is past his peak and Tau, 10 years younger, represents a long-term investment for Brighton manager Chris Hughton.
Despite not featuring for Brighton next season, Tau remains determined to establish himself at Brighton. He said,
“Hopefully I can make some great memories here – I love making memories and I’m so happy to be here.” Tau will be hoping to better former Bafana Bafana captain and midfielder Steven Pienaar’s Premier League record. If he can adapt to his new life in Europe, Tau could be a value addition for Brighton, there is no denying he has the talent to see him succeed in Europe. He just needs to keep his head low and work hard on the training pitch as he adjusts to cultural and sporting changes.
Only time will tell if the striker will make it big at Brighton but he certainly has the talent to do so.
