Mbule And Mabasa Exit After Contracts Expire
Sportswire has learned that Orlando Pirates have parted ways with Sipho Mbule and Tshegofatso Mabasa after deciding not to renew their contracts, which expired at the end of June.
According to information gathered by Sportswire, the Buccaneers opted against extending the contracts of the two players for different reasons, bringing their respective spells at the club to an end.
Mbule joined Pirates on a one-year deal following his departure from Mamelodi Sundowns and enjoyed a successful first half of the recently concluded campaign. The midfielder established himself as an important member of the squad and earned a recall to Bafana Bafana, where he went on to be included in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) squad.
However, the second half of the season proved challenging for the talented midfielder, as disciplinary issues reportedly affected his standing within the team. As a result, Mbule struggled for game time and eventually fell out of favour, leading to the club’s decision not to offer him a new deal.
Despite his reduced role towards the end of the campaign, Mbule made 23 appearances across all competitions, scored one goal, and helped Pirates secure a domestic treble by winning the league title, MTN8, and Carling Knockout.
Meanwhile, Mabasa’s departure comes after the striker was deemed surplus to requirements by head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
Following the expiry of his loan spell at Stellenbosch, Pirates did not enter into discussions over a new contract. Sources indicate that the club last communicated with the player’s representatives in January, before his move to Stellies.
Mabasa joined Pirates in June 2019 from the now-defunct Bloemfontein Celtic and went on to enjoy several productive loan spells during his time with the Buccaneers, including stints at Sekhukhune United, Moroka Swallows, and Stellenbosch.
The 29-year-old leaves the club after helping Pirates win eight trophies, including four MTN8 titles, two Nedbank Cups, and one Carling Knockout title.
Mabasa also departs with an impressive record of 50 goals and six assists in 141 appearances across all competitions for the Buccaneers.
