Arrows Reject UAE Bid For Dion Amid Orlando Pirates Interest
Sportswire has reliably learned that Lamontville Golden Arrows have rejected an opening offer of $300,000 (approximately R5.5 million) from UAE outfit Hatta Club for lethal striker Junior Dion.
Abafana Bes’Thende have firmly informed the Dubai-based team that they will not sell the Ivorian marksman for anything less than his full $600,000 (R11 million) valuation.
Behind the scenes, the Durban outfit is also intentionally delaying negotiations as they await a formal proposal from giants Orlando Pirates, who have maintained a long-standing interest in securing Dion’s services.
If a bidding war with the Buccaneers fails to materialize, Arrows are prepared to sanction his move to the Gulf region.
Pirates’ interest in the forward comes as no surprise. Dion previously flourished under the tactical guidance of Abdeslam Ouaddou, scoring twice in nine appearances during a brief but impactful loan spell at Marumo Gallants in the latter half of the 2024/25 season.
Notably, both Hatta Club and Orlando Pirates enter this transfer window riding high after winning their respective domestic leagues last term.
Dion’s sudden surge in market demand comes on the back of an extraordinary campaign where he comfortably claimed the Betway Premiership Golden Boot, netting 14 league goals to guide Arrows to a strong sixth-place finish under former manager Manqoba Mngqithi.
The 27-year-old initially joined Arrows as a free agent after a sudden departure from neighboring AmaZulu at the conclusion of the 2024/25 campaign.
Following his return from that successful short-term loan stint at Gallants, Usuthu opted to restructure their attacking department, allowing Golden Arrows to swiftly secure his signature.
Mngqithi has been a vocal admirer of the Ivorian since observing him firsthand on the books of Botswana champions Jwaneng Galaxy—specifically when Mngqithi co-coached Mamelodi Sundowns during a highly competitive CAF Champions League preliminary fixture.
Since making his South African football debut with Gallants during the 2021/22 season, the robust forward has built a highly respectable career record, amassing 40 goals and five assists across 127 matches in all competitions.
His output last season reached elite efficiency, yielding 15 goals and an assist in 33 total appearances for Arrows.
With numbers like these, a marquee move to a global suitor or a local powerhouse felt entirely inevitable.
