Orlando Pirates have welcomed new signing Andre de Jong, but they also had to release an attacker in January transfer.
Having signed close to 15 players during the winter transfer period, the Buccaneers are now top of the Betway Premiership and have also bagged two trophies this campaign under new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
Their low point of the season came when they bowed out of the CAF Champions League preliminary stages. The Sea Robbers sailed to the semi-finals in the 2024/25 season, and there were high expectations for them to go far at this year’s competition.
Regardless, Orlando Pirates appear to have had the best transfer window of the season with the signings of Tshepang Moremi, Oswin Appollis and Sipho Mbule.
The trio also represented Bafana Bafana in the Africa Cup of Nations, where the team were eliminated in the round of 16.
Which players left Orlando Pirates this transfer window?
Mbekezeli Mbokazi left the Buccaneers to join Major League Soccer (MLS) side Chicago Fire, while Sinoxolo Kwayiba returned to Chippa United.
Mbokazi was promoted last year to the Pirates senior team and immediately made an impact. Almost 10 months later since his debut, the 20-year-old won two trophies, helped qualify his country to a World Cup and also participated in the AFCON.
Kwayiba, on the other hand was bought by Orlando Pirates in the past transfer window but failed to make an impact, only playing four matches.
His replacement is no doubt de Jong, who was recently signed from Stellenbosch.