Wydad Coach Saddened By Thembinkosi Lorch’s Departure - ‘Our Best Player for Eight Months’

Wydad Athletic Club coach Amine Benhachem has opened up over the departure of South African star Thembinski Lorch who has been in great form at the club.

Lorch is on his way to Libyan side Al-Ittihad, who have splashed $1.5 million (R24 million), about Ksh193 million, on him and are set to pay him $75,000 (R1.2 million) which translates to Ksh9.5 million per month, making him one of the highest earners in Africa.

The 32-year-old winger is leaving one year after joining the club initially on loan until last January before making the move permanent in August after an impressive spell.

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Since the start of the season, Lorch has scored five goals and added four assists in 12 games and it was a surprise that the club sanctioned a sale, given the form he was in.

However, Benhachem admits while Lorch was his best player, it was difficult to keep him when such a life-changing offer was placed on the table by the big-spending Libyan side.

“Christopher is a player we would have wanted to keep. He has been our best player for eight months but economically, he’s getting something better. We will always remember Lorch at Mohamed V,” he told the media.

His sentiments mirror what Lorch said regarding his transfer with the former Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns forward revealing that he had an agreement with Wydad to let him go whenever a better-paying deal was tabled to him.

“I was clear from the beginning — my goal was to improve my social situation, and when a suitable offer came in, the agreement would be activated,” Lorch said as quoted by Barlaman Sport.

Lorch, who has played a total of 28 matches for the Moroccan club and scored eight goals, five of them this season, while providing four assists, will officially join Al-Ittihad after this weekend’s CAF Confederation Cup match between Wydad and Congolese side Maniema Union.