Pirates looking to plunder a striker to solve scoring woes

ORLANDO Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza has revealed that they want to beef up their strikeforce after capturing the duo of Diamond Thopola and Phetso Maphanga.

“We are no longer conceding goals like we did last season. Our technical team have instilled discipline at the back. We just wanted to find balance at the back because we were not 100%. We hope that Maphanga and Diamond will give us that balance. We need to beef up upfront now,” Khoza explained.

Who will Pirates go for in this transfer window, which looks like it will be the busy one?

Mncwango is unhappy at Polokwane City and wants to leave. Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs have shown interest in his services before but City refused to release him. He has six months left on his existing contract, and can sign a pre-contract with the club of his choice next month. This is City’s last chance to cash in on him before they lose him for free in June. The Zimbabwean has been on Pirates’ radar for two seasons. Rusike possesses height, strength, power, skill and composure in-front of goal. He is still contracted to Maritzburg for the next two-and-a-half seasons, so Pirates need to break the bank if they are serious about landing him.

Ramagalela has scored eight goals in 14 league appearances and knows what it is like to play for a big team having been at Mamelodi Sundowns. That experience can help him to overcome pressure at Pirates, but he will be expensive.

His agent has already confirmed that there’s local interest in Billiat despite his priority being a move to Europe. Although he is not an out-and-out striker he can also play as a false nine. Prince Nxumalo (Ajax Cape Town)

Sundowns are trying hard to secure his services, but things can change. The fact that Sundowns are talking to him doesn’t means that he has signed. Justin Shonga to Sundowns looked like a done deal but he ended up at Pirates. Can Pirates deceive Sundowns again? Only time will tell. With Ajax keen on signing Riyaad Norodien on loan, we might just seen a swap deal there.