What are the facts?

Mlambo was among the big-name signings during the January transfer window of 2018, along with Aubrey Ngoma and Jeremy Brockie joining Mamelodi Sundowns. While the duo at Chloorkop didn’t have much of an immediate impact, Mlambo had different luck as he added more flair to a Pirates outfit that ran Sundowns close in the championship race.

Game-time, then, was not an issue and Mlambo also managed to feature in more than 30 games in all competitions last season, though he was surprisingly in and out of the team in the latter stages of the campaign.

With Milutin Sredojevic leaving the Buccaneers abruptly in August to take up a job at Egypt’s Zamalek, Rhulani Mokwena took over as interim coach, and changes in player personnel were expected. Mlambo found himself isolated, and even more so since Zinnbauer’s arrival in December.

During the 2019/20 season, to date, the midfielder has only seven appearances under his belt, all matches that he has started. Mlambo has been on the bench only twice, and was an unused substitute. This is all a cause for concern for a player that is such a crowd favourite.

He was involved in a car accident earlier this month, though did not suffer any serious injury and has been able to resume with training. The accident, has not affected his availability, as he continues to sit out on the sidelines.

An exit is far from imminent given his contract situation, though the player will be able to sign a pre-contract in just over 11 months’ time and could leave the club a free agent by June 2021, or sooner if Pirates decided he is surplus to requirements after all.