Two signings just the start as Pirates beef up team
Orlando Pirates have promised reinforcements for the new season as they aim to chase several trophies and have moved to strengthen the left side of their attack with two acquisitions.
Paseka Mako and Vincent Pule are both on the brink of signing for the Buccaneers for the new season‚ according to club insiders.
Pule has not taken up the offer of a newcontract after four years at Bidvest Wits and will be free to move in the next weeks.
Pule had initially been linked with Kaizer Chiefs‚ but officials told Business Day it is Pirates who are set to get his signature.
The diminutive Mako‚ who was a junior at Mamelodi Sundowns‚ has emerged as one of the hottest properties in the Premier Soccer League this season with his performances for Chippa United.
The club has had several inquiries about his services over the past month and had slapped a R7m price tag on his head‚ according to club officials who were interested in his services.
In January‚ Pirates took Diamond Thopola and Phetso Maphanga from Chippa to strengthen their squad as they bid for the title and sent Nkosinathi Mthinyane and Thabo Rakhale down to Port Elizabeth in return.
Wits made an offer for Mako but their figure was some way short of what Chippa wanted for the player.
Mamelodi Sundowns boss Patrice Motsepe said no to a possible move when he learnt that Mako had earlier been let go by the club. After the embarrassing episode with Lerato Chabangu in 2009‚ he did not want to be seen to be buying back one of his own products.
Chabangu signed a precontract with SuperSport United after Sundowns dithered about offering him a deal. This move infuriated Motsepe so much that he allowed Chabangu to leave six months earlier than scheduled. But he then had a change of heart and decided he wanted the player back and paid SuperSport a veritable fortune to get back a player who had been his just six months earlier.
Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevich told reporters last week to expect a raft of additions to the squad.
Mako and Pule add to the options on the left of the Pirates line-up, where Innocent Maela and Luvuyo Memela both left favourable impressions this season.