Pirates keen to extend Monare’s contract

With the 2021/22 season nearing an end, Orlando Pirates are expected to make a decision on the future of Thabang Monare, with indications that the club is keen to extend the midfielder’s contract to keep him beyond the current season.

Monare has been one of the club’s top performers since joining in 2020, following the sale of Bidvest Wits’ topflight status to businessman Masala Mulaudzi, who renamed the club Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

In joining Bucs in October of 2020, the club confirmed that the midfielder had signed a two-year deal. The contract will be expiring in June, although Pirates have expressed an interest in extending the deal.

Monare has been a consistent performer and is most probably one of the first names in co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids’ line-ups, although he was a notable absentee from the team that qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals after defeating JS Saoura 2-0 at Stade du 5 Juillet last Sunday.

The 32-year-old former Jomo Cosmos player has been rewarded for his impressive displays and form with a Bafana Bafana call-up for the recent international friendlies against Guinea and world champions France.

Sources close to the Soweto giants have confirmed that Monare’s contract is one of the matters to be on the agenda as the club will be making decisions on the squad for next season and beyond in the coming weeks.

The former Wits man is said to be happy at the Houghton-based outfit and would like to continue with his progress in the team beyond this season.