Orlando Pirates have on Wednesday come out to set the record straight on the future of star players Monnapule Saleng and Patrick Maswanganyi at the club.
There has been ongoing speculation that Saleng is unhappy and no longer wants to be at the club and that Maswanyayi was looking to move overseas.
It was recently reported that there was interest in Saleng from the Middle East and that the player had received a lucrative offer from a club in the region, which Pirates reportedly rejected.
The club has since denied those allegations in a statement and said that the story was fabricated.
Growing trend of misinformation
“As Orlando Pirates Football Club, we have noted with great concern a growing trend of misinformation circulating on social media and in certain media outlets regarding alleged offers for some of our players,” Pirates said in a statement.
“Ordinarily, the club refrains from engaging with baseless rumours aimed at creating unnecessary sensationalism and clickbait. However, the persistence and escalation of these unsubstantiated claims now compel us to set the record straight.
“The misinformation began with a fabricated story regarding Monnapule Saleng. It alleged that the club had denied the player a lucrative transfer opportunity to a team in the Middle East.
“Initially, we chose to disregard this as yet another false narrative meant to explain the player’s temporary absence from the playing squad. Unfortunately, the story has since gained unwarranted traction, even being picked up by some mainstream media outlets.”
The Buccaneers have since said their side of the story in detail as facts.
Monnapule Saleng
“Orlando Pirates Football Club categorically denies ever receiving any offer from a Middle Eastern club for the services of Monnapule Saleng.
“On 13 January 2025, Kickoff.co.za published a story titled The Gulf Region team was serious about Saleng. A story claiming that an agent, Rui Frois, met with a ‘high-ranking’ Pirates official to discuss Saleng’s availability.
“Let it be clear; the club does not conduct its business in malls. No official from Orlando Pirates Football Club has spoken to Mr. Rui Frois regarding this matter.”
Patrick Maswanganyi
“On 20 January 2025, Briefly News Sports published an article. The article was titled ‘Portuguese Club Eyes Bid for R40 Million-Rated Orlando Pirates Star’.
“Once again, the club categorically rejects this as sheer gossip. No such offer has been presented to the club. It is deeply troubling that these baseless stories are not only misleading but also serve to disrupt the focus of our players and destabilise the team.
“This is entirely unacceptable. As a professional organisation, Orlando Pirates Football Club remains committed to conducting our business with integrity and transparency.
“We urge media outlets and individuals to verify information before publishing. This as false reporting not only harms the players and the club, it also diminishes the credibility of the platforms involved,” the statement concluded.
The Buccaneers have since thanked their supporters for their unwavering trust. The club once again urged them to rely on official channels for accurate updates.
