Moloto insists Bafana defender Matuludi will stay at Polokwane City amid ‘Big Three’ interest

New Polokwane City coach Willy Moloto says Bafana Bafana right-back Thabang Matuludi will not be leaving the club, despite sustained speculation linking him with South Africa’s traditional “Big Three”.

Matuludi has been the subject of mounting transfer talk in recent weeks, with local reports suggesting that the country’s biggest clubs are monitoring the 26-year-old following his rise with Bafana Bafana and his involvement in their historic run at the FIFA World Cup.

Moloto, however, believes his personal relationship with the defender will be decisive in keeping him at Rise and Shine as he prepares for his first full season in charge.

Speaking to Soccer Laduma on Saturday at the Mafori Cup, staged at Seshego Stadium in Polokwane, Moloto was emphatic about the player’s immediate future.

“Matuludi is one of the best and him knowing that I am back at the team, also gives him more pleasure to say ‘coach, you’ve worked with me before and can we do this again and you also helped me to be where I am today. Can we finish what we started?’ We are looking forward to progress the season today. He is staying,” Moloto said.

Coach banks on long-standing connection

Moloto returned to Polokwane City this off-season after spending the previous campaign at University of Pretoria, where he served as assistant coach. Before that, he had already worked within the Polokwane setup, sharing the first-team reins as co-coach and leading the club’s DStv Diski Challenge side.

That prior spell included close work with Matuludi, and Moloto believes the defender’s trust in him, built over several years, is a major factor in the player’s willingness to remain.

According to the coach, Matuludi has expressed a desire to “finish what we started”, viewing Moloto’s return as an opportunity to resume a partnership that has helped shape his career to date.

Club insiders believe that Matuludi’s market value has climbed since his recent involvement with Bafana Bafana. His presence in the national team squad that made history at the FIFA World Cup has drawn further attention to his performances and sharpened interest from rival sides.

Rise and Shine determined to resist offers

Despite that growing profile, Polokwane City are intent on keeping hold of the defender. The club sees him as central to their plans for the coming campaign, both for his defensive qualities and his experience at international level.

Rise and Shine are understood to view Matuludi as a key figure in helping Moloto navigate his debut season as head coach of the first team. The coach himself is clear that retaining the right-back will be crucial if City are to build on last term’s progress and stabilise under his leadership.

Although described in the original report as a midfielder in one passage, Matuludi has primarily featured at right-back for both club and country, and it is in that role that Moloto expects him to continue contributing.

Mixed fortunes at Mafori Cup

While the focus at Seshego Stadium was partly on Matuludi’s future, Polokwane City endured a disappointing result on the pitch at the Mafori Cup.

City were beaten in the first semi-final by Sekhukhune United, losing their chance to contest the pre-season tournament’s final. The match nevertheless offered Moloto an early look at some of his players in a competitive environment as he evaluates his squad ahead of the new campaign.

One of those on show was new signing Malebogo Modise, who featured for Rise and Shine after his move from Chippa United. The appearance marked one of Modise’s first opportunities to integrate into Moloto’s setup following his switch from the Gqeberha club.

Although the Mafori Cup defeat means City leave the tournament empty-handed, Moloto’s public stance on Matuludi underlines the club’s broader priority: consolidating their core squad, resisting interest in key players and giving the new coach a stable platform as he embarks on his first season at the helm.