Oupa move is not yet a done deal

Orlando Pirates chairman Irvin Khoza set tongues wagging last week when he announced that Oupa Manyisa (below) was joining league rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.

Although the Brazilians have not officially announced the 29-year-old as their player, he reportedly had his first training session with his new team-mates in a pre-season camp in Rustenburg last week.

The deal is complicated and Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane hinted that one stumbling block is a potential swap deal that would see Mogakolodi Ngele and Cuthbert Malajila join the Buccaneers. He did, however, also indicate that a deal for Manyisa was imminent.

Pirates are also said to be chasing the signature of Downs assistant coach Rhulani Mokoena.

“We will be adding another player very soon, a big-name player,” he said on SABC radio.

“What makes it difficult is that the players we are targeting are unfortunately unavailable. If they were, we couldn’t afford them. We also try to make swap deals but they become difficult because the salary packages should be agreeable to both parties.”

Mosimane is faced with the problem of filling his three Caf Champions League spots, which have been vacated by Keagan Dolly, Wayne Sandilands and Teko Modise. New goalkeeper Razak Brimah will take up one spot, but with three signings said to be on their way, Ricardo Nascimento could be deregistered due to his injury.