NEWS: New Mamelodi Sundowns player Kegan Johannes aiming for Bafana Bafana ascension

Sundowns are one of the toughest teams for new players to break into and Johannes, whose preferred position is centre-back but can play as a right-back, is walking into his new home with eyes wide open.

“I think just to have that breakthrough (would be great), but I have to be realistic, there are players here that are of top quality that have been here for a while,” Johannes told the Pitchside podcast.

At centre-back, the player will compete against Mothobi Mvala, Grant Kekana, Rushine De Reuck, Mosa Lebusa and Abdelmounaim Boutouil.

“It’s going to be a lot of hard work from me, but obviously with the assistance and the guidance of the technical team as well (it’s possible),” Johannes said.

The player who was developed at the famed Ajax Cape Town Ikamva Youth Academy aims for a trophy-laden stay with Sundowns and to dish out performances that will catch the eye of hard-to-please Bafana coach Hugo Broos.

“That’s ideally the main goal,” Johannes said.

“Obviously, with Bafana playing qualifiers for the World Cup, I think that is something I aspire to. I mean who doesn’t want to play in a World Cup?

“That’s one of my main goals, to reach that and get into that environment and be surrounded (by the people there). I have worked with coach Helman (Mkhalele at the 2022 Hollywoodbets COSAFA Cup), and he is fantastic.

“I’ve never worked with coach Hugo but I’m looking forward to that because I’ve heard a lot of good things about him.

“Club-wise, I think in the first five games I will be involved, I will want to hit the ground running.”