Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has opened up on the future of Bafana Bafana striker Evidence Makgopa, who has yet to feature for the club.
Makgopa was snapped up by Pirates from Baroka back in July 2021 but remained at Bakgaga on loan for the season despite already breaking into the senior national team.
His move to Pirates was finally confirmed 12 months later but he’s yet to feature for the club in a competitive fixture, with this publication confirming he suffered an ankle injury in pre-season.
While Riveiro remained mum about his absence, it’s understood that he could return to full training next month – but the Spaniard has seen enough to suggest has all the potential to succeed at the Buccaneers.
“Evidence is a young player with huge potential because he has something difficult to find because he has the capacity to score goals,” Riveiro told journalists at Pirates 85th anniversary event.
“We need to help him to perform in one structure, surrounded by very good players, maybe that’s a thing that will help him in the future.
“I’m really looking to see him on the field, at the moment, for different reasons he couldn’t be part of the PSL games, he completed the entire pre-season with us and hopefully, soon he can be on the field in matches to show his capacity and potential.
“How good will he be this season, how much will he improve? I don’t really know, nobody can [know], but the potential is there and he’s a proper character to be a football player, to be honest – so I’m very optimistic about him.”
The 22-year-old has scored three goals for Bafana Bafana in nine appearances since making his official debut in June last year during a 3-2 victory over Uganda at Orlando Stadium.
