Latest news with #Lepasa
The South African
an hour ago
- Sport
- The South African
Another Orlando Pirates reject heading to Kaizer Chiefs?
Kaizer Chiefs could be signing a fourth ex-Orlando Pirates player in recent seasons. A former Amakhosi star has suggested it. Former Chiefs defender Mokete Tsotetsi says that Zakhele Lepasa should be on their wish list. 28-year-old Lepasa left Pirates last week after seven years with the Buccaneers. Orlando Pirates get R31 million EFT, but it comes at a HUGE cost! Zakhele Lepasa could be the fourth player to trade Pirates for Chiefs in recent seasons after Bongani Sam and new signings Thabiso Monyane and Paseka Mako. 'Lepasa is one of the quality strikers, and he did well for Pirates when he was given a chance,' Tsotetsi told Soccer Laduma . 'He is not a reject from Pirates. He did not get enough game time, and sometimes when you are out, you find that the team gels, and it's difficult for you to break into the team after being sidelined with an injury. 'But I see he has recovered, and because Chiefs have not been able to get [Khanyisa] Mayo for now, I think Lepasa has something to give,' Tsotetsi added. 'If he can be given a chance at Chiefs, I think he can do well and revive his career. 'Also, it depends on what type of striker coach Nabi would want. We will have to wait and see,' he concluded. Orlando Pirates' best XI WITHOUT Mofokeng and Nkota revealed? Click for more on the chase for Velebayi and Baartman New man Flavio Silva has given birth to plenty of memes online after his poor performances in pre-season in the Netherlands, but we'll give him time for now. Relatively new arrival Tashreeq Morris is a veteran of the South African scene but hardly a long-term option at 31. Also, he's never been the most prolific player. For all of his industry and hard work, 28-year-old Ashley Du Preez is also not the answer. Can Etiosa Ighodaro come in and buck this trend, and will Chiefs even pull off a deal for the 24-year-old Nigerian? Amakhosi attacker's curse revealed Let us know by leaving a comment below or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Also, subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
2 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs told to sign FOURTH Orlando Pirates player in 12 months
Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Mokete Tsotetsi says Amakhosi should look at signing ex-Orlando Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa. The 28-year-old forward was recently released by the club after seven years. He is part of the Bafana Bafana squad that will play in the CHAN tournament next month. 'Lepasa is one of the quality strikers, and he did well for Pirates, when he was given a chance,' he told Soccer Laduma . 'He is not a reject from Pirates. He did not get enough game time, and sometimes when you are out, you find that the team gels, and it's difficult for you to break into the team after being sidelined with injury. 'But I see he has recovered, and because Chiefs have not been able to get [Khanyisa] Mayo for now, I think Lepasa has something to give,' Tsotetsi added. 'If he can be given a chance at Chiefs, I think he can do well and revive his career. 'Also, it depends on what type of striker coach Nabi would want. We will have to wait and see,' he concluded. Former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Farouk Khan said Lepasa could be an option for the Soweto giants but Nasreddine Nabi needs to have a game model for the striker. 'First thing I will ask you is what is the coach's game model? what is his technical approach? Because we've seen in the past, they wanted a big guy upfront, they signed Chivaviro and it didn't work out.' 'If you look at Lepasa, he is more of a false 9 guy, coming deep, getting the ball and making space, but in the 63 games he played, he only scored 16 goals and made two assists. Okay, he was injured for a time last season, but we know Hugo Broos saw the quality in him (Lepasa), that's why he chose him for Bafana,' said the former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach. Last year, Amakhosi signed Bongani Sam from Orlando Pirates but the left-back never played a match. This pre-season, the Glamour Boys signed Thabiso Monyane and Paseka Mako, who were recently released by the Buccaneers. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
19 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Orlando Pirates former star given ultimatum by PSL boss
Orlando Pirates former star Zakhele Lepasa has received a firm message from TS Galaxy president Tim Sukazi, who insists the striker must take initiative if he wants to return to the club where he once made history. Lepasa became a free agent last week after parting ways with the Buccaneers. His departure followed a season on the sidelines due to injury, with no appearances recorded for the Soweto giants in the previous campaign. Pirates decided to release the Bafana Bafana striker shortly after signing Yanela Mbuthuma. Lepasa has since linked up with the national squad ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), featuring in a 1-1 friendly draw with Angola at Lucas Moripe Stadium. Lepasa famously etched his name into TS Galaxy folklore during the 2018/2019 season. On loan from Pirates, he scored the winning goal in the Nedbank Cup final against Kaizer Chiefs, helping Galaxy become the first lower-division side to lift the trophy. Now, Sukazi says the forward must decide whether to come home or seek opportunities abroad. 'The Lepasa chapter is closed, unless he decides he wants to come home,' Sukazi told Ikwekwezi FM. 'The door is always open. I discovered him, and he has my number [to call me if he's interested in joining TS Galaxy]. I'm unsure of where his and his agent's headspace is.' 'In situations like this, I can't chase after him. If he wants to come home, he knows what to do. Sometimes it becomes easy for players who've played for Orlando Pirates to secure deals overseas. A lot of players are moving outside South Africa. Maybe he's exploring his options.' As the transfer window begins to wind down. All eyes are on the former Orlando Pirates star. With offers potentially on the table from abroad, will Lepasa return to his roots at TS Galaxy, or carve out a new path beyond South African football? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The South African
3 days ago
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs transfer news: Lepasa and Zajmovic
Kaizer Chiefs are urged to sign either Zakhele Lepasa or Dzenan Zajmovic before the duo are snatched up by another team. Amakhosi have only signed one striker this transfer window, which is Flavio da Silva. The 29-year-old has not found the net yet, but looked promising this past weekend against Asante Kotoko. Speaking on Soccer Bea t, former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach said Nasreddine Nabi would need to assess what he wants before signing Lepasa. 'First thing I will ask you is what is the coach's game model? what is his technical approach? Because we've seen in the past, they wanted a big guy upfront, they signed Chivaviro and it didn't work out.' 'If you look at Lepasa, he is more of a false 9 guy, coming deep, getting the ball and making space, but in the 63 games he played, he only scored 16 goals and made two assists. Okay, he was injured for a time last season, but we know Hugo Broos saw the quality in him (Lepasa), that's why he chose him for Bafana,' said the former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach. Former Bafana Bafana left-back felt Lepasa might not be a good Amakhosi based on his fitness. 'My worry with Lepasa is that he hasn't played football in a while and we don't know how long it will take for him to get back into the groove,' he said. 'He is available for free if they can get a deal done. We are not seeing much of Ashley (Du Preez), or (Tashreeq) Morris, so we need three or four upfront,' Masilela said. The former Bafana Bafana left-back encouraged Kaizer Chiefs to sign Dzenan Zajmovic ahead of Lepasa. He has good touches, has football brains and he can link up play, drop and play in spaces. That's what I like, he is more involved, he is not just a guy waiting to score goals,' he added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
CAF
4 days ago
- Sport
- CAF
Lepasa grateful for TotalEnergies CAF CHAN lifeline
For Zakhele Lepasa, football has come full circle in a way he likely never imagined. The 27-year-old forward, recently listed as unattached after parting ways with Orlando Pirates, has been handed a lifeline in the form of a TotalEnergies CAF CHAN national team call-up. Included in coach Molefi Ntseki's 23-man squad announced by Bafana Bafana's local-based setup, Lepasa finds himself at a pivotal point in his career. 'You know what's crazy about CHAN? A lot of us players, when we play and we are regulars in our team, we tend to take CHAN and an opportunity like that for granted,' Lepasa said honestly. 'Until a situation like this comes, where you haven't played for a while, and you understand how important it is.' The former Pirates striker, who didn't travel with the Soweto giants to Spain for pre-season and whose status was publicly noted as unattached when the CHAN squad was confirmed, is using this opportunity as a chance to reignite his career and reset mentally. 'Now it is as important as going to play in the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, or go play in AFCON,' he added. 'So I'm yet to think about it to be honest, but I'm definitely happy. But for me it's not just about being happy, it's about seeing myself playing again, training well and playing again, and feel like myself again. So that's one thing I'm looking forward to.' Lepasa's return to the national setup arrives during a transitional phase, not just in his club career but in South African football as a whole. His comments shine a light on the deeper value of CHAN. His candour underscores how quickly things can shift in football. Once a consistent name on the Bucs' team sheet and a scorer in key fixtures, he now finds himself in the fight to rediscover rhythm, confidence, and relevance. While Lepasa's future at club level remains uncertain, his inclusion in the CHAN squad could serve as a crucial launchpad, not just to get minutes in the tank, but to remind South Africa, and perhaps the world, of the quality he still possesses.
