Orlando Pirates are moving with the speed of lightning to snatch the most sought-after striker, Ranga Chivaviro, who is also on the radar of both Mamelodi Sundowns and rivals Kaizer Chiefs. Soccer Laduma has been reliably informed that the Marumo Gallants lead striker is a top target of the Buccaneers, though Richards Bay are understood to have secured his signature.
If all goes according to plan, the 30-year-old will become the second player from the relegated side to join the Buccaneers after the Soweto giants reportedly snatched promising attacker Katlego Otladisa as they continue to build their side in anticipation of next season's CAF Champions League. Pirates finished second behind Sundowns in the DStv and this qualified them to participate in the coveted inter-club tournament along with champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
If anything, the current CAF Champions League tournament revealed to everybody that this Pan-African club competition requires much more than discipline and dedication. A club needs to have both the resilience and the experience to go that extra mile if it hopes to land the pot of gold at the end of the season when one considers how painfully the Brazilians bowed out of the competition to Wydad Casablanca in the semi-final.
Pirates have taken stock of how both this year's finalists – runners-up Wydad Casablanca and champions Al Ahly – struggled during the group stage, only to lift themselves up when it mattered most during the knockout stages. No doubt, if signed, Chivaviro will play a key role for the Houghton-based side both domestically and on the continent after spearheading Gallants all the way to the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup with a constant supply of goals.
Which club would suit Chivaviro best?
