Midfielder Thalente Mbatha’s move to Orlando Pirates is as good as done, Sportswire has been informed.  

Mbatha spent the second half of the season at Pirates on loan from SuperSport United.  

The 24-year-old, who saw little game time with Gavin Hunt’s side, was named the Man of the Match when Pirates defeated Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup final at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday. 

The KwaMashu-born player also helped Pirates finish second in the DStv Premiership and qualify for the CAF Champions League next season, though a whopping 23 points behind champions Sundowns.    

Speaking to the media after the Nedbank Cup triumph, his first major trophy in his career, Mbatha said his future will be decided by both clubs along with his agent Mike Makaab.   

“As I said earlier, I’m not sure,” said Mbatha when asked if he passed the audition to stay at the club after the Man of the Match performance.   

“My agent (Mike Makaab) is the one who is going to sit down with the teams to be able to decide to buy me out since they have that option.” 

But according to this website, the move has been completed and both clubs have agreed on the transfer fee. Pirates is set announce his signing in the next coming weeks.

Mbatha, not only impressed at Pirates, even scored his first PSL goal with Soweto Giants, clipping the ball past Mondli Mpoto as they hammered Royal AM 4-0 at Harry Gwala Stadium in April. 

SuperSport coach Hunt told Sportswire in April when he kind of deemed him surplus to requirement, saying that Mbatha was always injured, and he was not better than Siphesihle Ndlovu or Grant Magerman, his preferred soldiers in his midfield.     

But since he arrived at Pirates, Mbatha has featured in 16 matches in all competitions, scoring once. 

Once the move is officially confirmed, Mbatha will become the second player that Pirates would have signed from SuperSport United.  

Right-back Kegan Johannes is another SuperSport player joining Orlando Pirates ahead of next season.