Deano Van Rooyen leaves Orlando Pirates after trophy-winning season

South African right-back Deano Van Rooyen has left Orlando Pirates and is now without a club after completing his move away from the Betway Premiership side.

The 29-year-old defender departs Pirates after a successful 2025-26 campaign in which the club won the South African championship, the South African Cup and the MTN8 Cup. Van Rooyen was part of the squad that secured all three domestic honours during the season.

Van Rooyen joined Orlando Pirates from Stellenbosch FC on 12 August 2024. He had spent eight years with Stellenbosch after joining the club in July 2016, establishing himself as a right-back in South African football before moving to Pirates.

Born in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, Van Rooyen is a right-footed defender standing 1.77m tall. His departure was recorded on 21 August 2026, bringing his time with Orlando Pirates to an end.

His honours with Stellenbosch included the South African Cup in the 2023-24 season. He later added three trophies with Pirates in 2025-26, including another South African Cup triumph and his first league title.

Van Rooyen’s latest move leaves him unattached following his spell with the Johannesburg club. No new team or contract length has been announced alongside his departure.

The right-back’s most recent club was Orlando Pirates, whom he joined after leaving Stellenbosch FC in 2024. He completes his exit on 21 August 2026.