Last week, Orlando Pirates’ head coach Jose Riveiro parted ways with the club and is reportedly gearing up to take the reins at Egyptian giants Al Ahly after the current season concludes. Meanwhile, interim coach Emad El-Nahhas is expected to remain at Pirates until the end of this campaign.
Al Ahly’s Interest in Pirates’ Young Star
According to reports from Egypt, the incoming Al Ahly coach is keen on making Orlando Pirates’ promising defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi his first signing. What makes Mbokazi particularly attractive to Al Ahly is his age — at just 19, he qualifies as an under-age foreign player. This is crucial because, under Egyptian Premier League rules, clubs can register a certain number of young foreign players without affecting their limited foreign player slots.
The league allows clubs to have up to eight foreign players registered, but only six can be on the matchday squad, with at least one of them being an under-age (under 20) player. This means Mbokazi’s signing wouldn’t take up one of Al Ahly’s valuable foreign player slots, making him a smart strategic target.
Mbokazi’s Growing Reputation
Mbokazi is already making waves in South African football. Although he missed out on joining the AFCON U20 champions due to his importance at Pirates during a busy period—when the team was competing in the CAF Champions League semifinals and Nedbank Cup final—the young defender has made his mark. He has featured 16 times across all competitions, scored a key goal against SuperSport United in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, and provided an assist in a Betway Premiership match against Golden Arrows.
Riveiro on Potential Signings from Pirates
When asked about whether he would consider signing Pirates players at Al Ahly, Riveiro was diplomatic. He acknowledged the wealth of talent at Pirates but emphasized that transfer decisions are not solely his call.
“It’s a tough question. Pirates is full of talent and very promising players. But that’s not really my role and never will be. Nowadays, coaches do have input on transfers, but the strategic and business side makes those final decisions,” he told Radio 947.
