Orlando Pirates faces one of their toughest decision yet with live-wire Makhehlene Makhaula, who has even caught the attention of legend Teko Modise.
Pirates have shown a cut-throat approach over the years when it comes to older players whose contracts come to an end.
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The Buccaneers have in recent seasons had to let go of players such as Happy Jele, Musa Nyatama, Mpho Makola, Vincent Pule, Linda Mntambo, Ndumiso Mabena, Thabang Monare, Kermit Erasmus, to mention a few, who had to make way for young blood.
Makhaula, 33, who joined the Soweto giants already past the age of 30 from AmaZulu in January 2023, has a contract that is running out at the end of June.
The Randfontein native midfielder has put in indispensable performances this season but since he will be turning 34 at the start of the 2025/26 campaign, it remains to be seen if The Ghosts will reward him with a new contract.
"I can tell you a player now that I know for sure that he plays to give back Pirates what Pirates has given to him, Makhaula!" Modise raved about Makhaula on Izinja zeGame podcast with Josta Dladla.
"Makhaula doesn't have the quality that is nice on the eye, he doesn't have the talent that we can go out of the game and we can speak about it.
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"But he has the presence that when he's not there, we actually see that he's not there. We speak about him at the age that he is, he knows very well if he was playing for another team at that age he wouldn't be playing. Pirates changes lives, you see how he plays, there's very few players like that," the Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns legend added
Makhaula has featured in 39 matches for Ezimnyama in all competitions this season, with Jose Riveiro's charges still left with ten matches in the Betway Premiership.
