Orlando Pirates have recently made moves in the transfer and squad-renewal market by renewing contracts of three players, but many supporters were surprised — with many expecting big talents like Relebohile Mofokeng or Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi to be among those re-signed.
Fans had widely discussed both Mofokeng and Tito as priority renewals given their impact and potential in the squad. However, the club’s official announcements and media reports have focused on other players whose deals were set to expire or required urgent decisions — and Mofokeng and Tito were not among the confirmed renewals.
📝 Renewed Contracts (Confirmed)
While Orlando Pirates have not released a full official list of all three renewed players, here’s what’s public and widely reported:
1️⃣ Miguel Timm
-
The experienced midfielder signed a contract extension after his previous deal was close to expiry.
-
His earlier contract was due to expire but was officially extended to keep him in the Soweto side for at least another season.
(Note: Specific names of all three contract renewals were not fully published yet on the Pirates’ official channels — but Timm’s renewal is confirmed.)
There are also ongoing talks reported between Pirates and midfielder Bandile Shandu over a potential extension, though this has not yet been confirmed.
❗ Fans Expected Different Names
Many supporters were expecting contract renewals for:
-
Relebohile “Mofokeng” — The exciting attacking midfielder/winger who has been a breakthrough star for the club and continues to shine (especially given his involvement with the South African national team).
-
Patrick “Tito” Maswanganyi — Another popular attacking midfielder linked with strong performances and potential future transfers.
Despite the fan buzz around these two, neither has been officially confirmed as part of the latest contract renewals — at least not in the verified club statements available so far.
🔍 Players With Expiring Contracts
One of the reasons fans expected Mofokeng or Tito to be renewed is due to uncertainty over several Pirates contracts nearing their end:
✔ Miguel Timm – Contract was expiring before he signed the extension.
✔ Others rumored to be nearing expiry (from transfer-news discussions and fan databases):
-
Makhehleni Makhaula
-
Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo
-
Relebohile Mofokeng (listed on fan-compiled expiry lists, though no official statement confirmed this yet)
Additionally, some key squad members — including defenders and midfielders — have been subject to renewal negotiations without confirmed outcomes, which keeps supporters talking as the transfer windows approach.
📊 Why the Surprise Reaction?
The surprise among fans stems from a few key factors:
🔹 Mofokeng’s rising profile and goal contributions have led many to believe he’d be locked down early.
🔹 Tito’s creative influence also made supporters hopeful of a new deal.
🔹 Pirates have been active in releasing several players to reshape the squad — meaning new contract decisions are highly visible and debated among supporters.
📌 In Summary
-
Orlando Pirates renewed at least Miguel Timm’s contract and reportedly two others.
-
Relebohile Mofokeng and Tito Maswanganyi were not confirmed as part of the renewals — despite fan expectations.
-
Several players had expiring deals, and fans expected the club to prioritise the most impactful ones — but the official renewals followed a different path.