Graham Potter is impressed with the work of Bafana Bafana international Percy Tau during three loan spells before joining Brighton & Hove Albion.
The 26-year-old joined Brighton from Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Mamelodi Sundowns back in 2018, but was unable to represent the club due to work permit issues.
Tau then spent the past two-and-a-half years playing in Belgium for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, Club Brugge and Anderlecht.
The Bafana Bafana international has since been recalled from a season-long loan with Belgian club Anderlecht after the end of the Brexit transition period, which allowed him to secure a work permit.
‘I think he has made the most of his time there. He has had some fantastic experiences in Belgium,’ Potter told his club’s official website.
‘As a footballer you have got a path and you want to go one way, but sometimes you are knocked off and you have to find another path and he has done that.
‘He has made the most of his experiences in Belgium and now he is here with us and we are happy for him to be here.
‘Percy is pleased to be here permanently and so are we.
‘He’s been training and playing in Belgium, so he’s OK in terms of match speed and training time. It’s just a case of him adapting to us.
‘It’s exciting for him and it’s exciting for us. Now we need to help him settle in. He needs to get to know his teammates and the team. We want to help him take the next step in his career and that’s also the challenge for him.
‘But I think he will adapt quickly from what I saw in training. He has a nice personality and has fitted into the group already.
‘There’s healthy competition in the team which you’d expect in the Premier League, but that’s good for us, we need that.’
The former Sundowns star finally made his debut for Brighton when he came on as a second-half substitute against Newport County in the third round of the FA Cup this past Sunday evening.
In terms of what he can offer Albion, Potter believes Tau has plenty at his disposal, having been impressive during his spell with Anderlecht this season, scoring four goals in 15 games.
‘He’s a left-footed attacking player. He plays in different positions, he attacks the goal, he progresses with the ball, he plays in spaces,’ he added.
‘He is able to find passes and dribble with the ball. It’s just a case of us finding the best way to use him.’
Tau will be hoping he impressed Potter enough to earn a place in the team for their upcoming Premier League clash with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.
