Blom completes move to Borneo FC after Stellenbosch transfer collapses

South African midfielder Njabulo Blom has signed for Indonesian side Borneo FC after a proposed move to Stellenbosch FC fell through at the final stage.

The 26-year-old Kaizer Chiefs academy graduate had travelled to the Western Cape and was on the verge of joining Gavin Hunt’s Stellenbosch FC, but the deal collapsed when the two parties failed to agree on the final terms of the transfer.

With the switch to the DStv Premiership club off, Blom turned his attention abroad and has now sealed a move to Indonesia, where he will link up with Borneo FC in what is his second spell in Asian football following a stint with Nam Dinh in Vietnam.

Borneo FC confirmed the signing on their official Instagram account, welcoming the South African and hailing his attributes in midfield.

“Wamukelekile, Njabulo Blom! The South African midfielder has officially joined Borneo FC,” the club announced.

“With his strength, determination, and quality on the pitch, Blom is ready to bring a new dimension to Pesut Etam’s game.”

The transfer gives Blom a fresh start after a frustrating season in Vietnam, where he did not make an appearance for Nam Dinh last term due to a serious injury that sidelined him for the entire campaign.

Coached again by Jeronimo

Blom’s arrival at Borneo FC also reunites him with a familiar figure from his time in Vietnam.

His former coach at Nam Dinh, Mauro Jeronimo, took charge of Borneo FC in July and has now moved to bring the midfielder into the Indonesian club’s squad.

The timing of Jeronimo’s appointment and Blom’s decision to head to Indonesia indicates the Portuguese coach played a key role in persuading the player to join Borneo FC following his injury-hit spell in the V.League.

Second overseas adventure

For Blom, the move represents another step in his career away from South Africa after emerging through the ranks at Kaizer Chiefs and breaking into senior football there before trying his luck abroad.

His spell at Nam Dinh was disrupted before it could properly begin by the injury that kept him out for the full season, but the new deal in Indonesia offers the chance to relaunch his career under a coach who already knows his game well.

Borneo FC, nicknamed Pesut Etam, will be hoping Blom’s fitness issues are behind him and that his energy and versatility in midfield can strengthen their squad as they look ahead to the upcoming campaign.