Mamelodi Sundowns defender Rivaldo Coetzee is happy to be back in training at the club since making the switch from Ajax Cape Town.

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The 21-year-old, who joined Sundowns in August last year, was close to completing a move to Glasgow Celtic, but the move fell through after he failed a medical at the Scottish Premiership side.

Celtic coach Brendon Rogers opted against signing the young defender after he was playing with an ankle injury as he was looking for someone to immediately slot in to the Celtic defence.

The Bafana Bafana defender, who spent the whole of last season on the sidelines, says he is happy to be back at training and relishing the chance to make his debut for the Brazilians this season.

‘It has been good, I feel like this is where I belong now. I’m more involved with the team every day,’ Coetzee told KickOff.com.

‘I’m just happy to be back and to be able to train with the team, and see how far I can go. Mentally, I’m ready for the season but fitness-wise I’m still working on it, it’s going to take a bit of time.

‘But I’m actually looking forward to this season. I haven’t played for a whole season, which was very frustrating but a learning curve as well. I’m hoping I can take that with me to be stronger in future.’

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Coetzee admits he has a long way to returning to match fitness, but is relishing the chance to impress Pitso Mosimane and fight for a place in the Sundowns first team.

‘Since I came to Sundowns, I knew I wasn’t going to play for the whole season, and I knew the only way I could come back is to just work hard in rehab and come back as soon as I can,’ he concluded.

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