Sundowns defender Thato Sibiya completes Lille loan move with option

Mamelodi Sundowns defender Thato Sibiya has completed his move to French Ligue 1 club LOSC Lille. The 20-year-old joins on loan for the 2026/27 season, with Lille holding an option to make the transfer permanent.

Sibiya will initially join Lille’s Pro 2 reserve group rather than the senior squad. The arrangement gives the South African defender a route towards promotion into the first team as he settles into French football and life in the country.

The move follows a significant period in Sibiya’s development. He was part of the South Africa Under-20 team that won the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and later featured at the Under-20 FIFA World Cup in Chile.

Sibiya had been included in Sundowns’ pre-season group during their preparations in Austria. His switch to Lille now takes him into European football, where he will begin by working with the club’s reserve side and competing for a place in the senior set-up.

The defender said he was grateful for the opportunity and pleased to join Lille. He described himself as a quick, energetic defender and identified adapting to French culture and the country’s football as immediate priorities.

Before finalising the move, Sibiya spoke to former Lille striker Lebo Mothiba, who had also been his teammate at Sundowns. Mothiba encouraged him to accept the opportunity and gave him a positive impression of Lille and the city.