Mabasa nears next move as former Orlando Pirates striker lines up new club

Former Orlando Pirates forward Tshegofatso Mabasa is expected to seal a move to a new club as early as next week, with negotiations over his next destination said to be at an advanced stage following the end of his loan spell at Stellenbosch FC.

The 29-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Stellenbosch FC, is currently a free agent after his time with Orlando Pirates came to an end. A source close to the player has indicated that a deal is edging closer after weeks of uncertainty over his future.

“Mabasa is closing in on his next move, as his has been the most-anticipated signing of the transfer window,” the source told Siya crew. “I can tell you that he is close to finalizing his next move and, if everything goes well, he could sign by next week. So let’s wait and see what happens, but he is likely to sign very soon that much I can tell you.”

The identity of Mabasa’s prospective new club has not been disclosed, but his representatives are understood to be sifting through several enquiries as they look to secure his next contract.

Loan stint follows Pirates frustration

Mabasa joined Stellenbosch FC for the latter part of last season after struggling for minutes at Orlando Pirates. His move came on the back of limited opportunities under the Buccaneers’ technical team, with coach Abdeslam Ouaddou making clear that the forward did not fit his preferred profile in attack.

Ouaddou is said to have concluded that Mabasa was not the type of striker he wanted to build his frontline around, which opened the door for a temporary switch. Once it was evident that the former Bloemfontein Celtic striker was unlikely to feature in the remainder of Pirates’ campaign, the club agreed to a loan following an approach from Stellenbosch FC.

The spell in the Western Cape was intended to give Mabasa a platform for regular football and to put himself in the shop window ahead of a permanent move during the current transfer window.

Interest across South Africa and beyond

Mabasa’s situation has attracted extensive speculation, with the forward repeatedly linked to several leading clubs in South Africa and elsewhere on the continent.

He has been mentioned in connection with Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns and AmaZulu FC, while there has also been reported interest from Al-Ittihad and other African teams. Despite those links, no agreement was reached with any of the clubs mentioned.

More recently, Mabasa’s name surfaced alongside that of Pyramids FC, now led by coach Rulani Mokwena, but discussions again failed to progress into a concrete deal and the move did not materialise.

Training alone while future is decided

With talks ongoing in the background, Mabasa has been working individually to ensure he is ready to join his new side at short notice.

According to the same well-placed source, the striker is training on his own to maintain his fitness levels while his camp weighs up the options.

For now, the next step in Mabasa’s career remains unconfirmed, but with his camp expecting a resolution within days, one of the transfer window’s most closely watched free-agent sagas appears close to reaching its conclusion.