Update provided as Mabena trains with Pirates

Update provided as Mabena trains with Pirates

As reported by SABC Sport last week, striker Ndumiso Mabena is currently training with Orlando Pirates in the hope that the Buccaneers can re-sign him.

The former captain of Royal AM officially parted ways with the club owned by flamboyant businesswoman Shauwn Mkhize following a drawn out legal battle over a botched move to Swallows FC as well as unpaid wages.

Mabena is now a free agent.

Speaking on Metro FM™s Sports Night Amplified with Andile Ncube yesterday, the player™s representatives finally commented on our story that Pirates were considering signing Mabena.

The Soweto giants have since agreed a deal with Kermit Erasmus, who also left Mamelodi Sundowns a free agent on transfer deadline day, but that hasn™t stopped Mabena from training at Pirates and his camp being optimistic.

œUpon receiving his clearance, we needed to look for opportunities for Ndumiso Mabena and we are currently doing that. Orlando Pirates has been one of the clubs that we had approached to give Ndumiso a chance, and indeed yes¦he is training there, explained Machini Motloung.

Ncube then asked if the 35-year-old was trying out.

œNo, he is not on trial but maintaining his fitness and sharpness levels. As you would appreciate that he missed a lot of pre-season training. So, he is keeping in shape so that if an opportunity comes he is ready to play. At the moment there™s no conversation regarding keeping him at Pirates, all that is happening at the moment is to make sure that Ndumiso gains his fitness levels and we are grateful he was given that opportunity by Orlando Pirates. These types of practices, in any event, do happen.

Motloung also revealed that another client, coincidentally an ex-Pirates defender, was in a similar boat elsewhere.  

œWe have a player right now in Wayde Jooste training at SuperSport [United] - it™s to make sure you maintain your fitness at the right position so that should an opportunity come your way, you are not found wanting.

TS Galaxy are thought to be interested in Mabena.

œMaybe they need to give us a call. What is paramount here is to make sure he [Mabena] is back in the field of play, back doing what he loves the most which is playing football. As long as a deal is presented and other factors, such as the opportunity to play¦because there™s no use to sit on a good deal only to warm the bench or not even be part of the club. So any club that presents an offer we would have to consider the best interest of the player, Motloung concluded.

By Mazola Molefe