Orlando Pirates are steadfastly continuing their policy of nurturing and promoting talent from within, a strategy underscored by the progress of Relebohile Mofokeng.
Ideally, any club should be getting their most talented young players on long term contracts so that if they do attract European interest, then the local club would stand to receive a fair transfer fee for developing the player.
As part of Bucs' ongoing commitment to development, Siya sources have indicated that Pirates are set to secure two of their promising young players, goalkeeper Siyabonga Dladla and midfielder Mohau Nkota, with substantial five-year contracts.
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Currently in Spain for pre-season training, where the team has already shown promising results in friendly matches, Pirates are keen on integrating these young talents into their first team.
"They have both agreed to their deals. The deals were effective from 1st July 2024 to 30th June 2029. They have both travelled with the team to Spain for the pre-season because they will be registered with the first team this season. You know Mohau (Nkota) is from the DDC team while the goalkeeper Siyabonga Dladla is from the feeder team, Pele Pele," said the Siya source.
Dladla, emerging from Pele Pele, and Nkota, a standout from the DStv Diski Challenge team, have both traveled with the main squad to Spain, signaling the club's intention to integrate them quickly into higher levels of competition.
"They are both good and still young and the team wants to keep them hence the long term contracts," the source added.
The decision to secure Nkota on a long-term deal was partly influenced by external interest, with notable clubs like Standard Liege in Belgium showing keen interest, according to a second insider.
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"They wanted to make sure that he has a senior contract so that if they are to sell him to any team whether in Europe or locally he goes as a professional and not an amateur. That puts more value on the player and adding years to the contract adds even more value in terms of transfer fee and other monetary negotiations in the event the player moves. So that's why they have given both youngsters five-year contracts each," the second Siya source stated.
These moves by Pirates highlight their commitment to developing and retaining top young talent, ensuring that the club remains competitive both domestically and on the continent. As Dladla and Nkota continue to develop, their journeys at Pirates will be closely watched by fans and pundits alike, eager to see if they can live up to the high expectations set by their predecessors.
Soccer Laduma reached out to Pirates and Nkota's agent, Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse of P Management, for further comments on a new contract, but no response was received by the time this report was published.
