Orlando Pirates have a ridiculously tall midfielder, meaning one of their talented players could be leaving the club.

Is Baloni surplus to requirements at Orlando Pirates?

According to FootballLadumaPirates are looking to loan out central midfielder Siphelo Baloni to give him valuable first-team minutes. He has not featured much in the league, with nine appearances and 13 in total in all competitions in his first campaign with the Buccaneers.

“You see that in the position he plays, there are a number of star players he has to compete with, including Thalente Mbatha, Makhehlene Makhaula, Miguel Timm, Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo and others. So they feel they need to give him game time and experience by loaning him out. Yes, last season he played a few games and the technical team felt he was not doing well, hence the need for a loan this season,” a source said of the 25-year-old’s dilemma.

“Now it’s time to look at the available candidates. Of course he won’t be short of candidates because he (Baloni) is a very good young midfielder who can play in any other team. It’s just that the competition at Pirates is very tough and tight at the moment and he needs the chance to gain that experience. But as far as the team is concerned, I can’t say yet where he will go next,” said a second source.

Mbatha’s win

One player who has stepped up and seized his opportunity in the Pirates engine room is the talented Thalente Mbatha. He was spotted on holiday in Spain in a recent post by Football SA on Facebook. A reader commented: “Orlando Pirates is the only local club I would ever sign for, hypothetically speaking…”

The 24-year-old midfielder Mbatha shone for the Sea Robbers last season on loan from SuperSport. He made 16 appearances in all competitions and was a key figure in the fight, always being selected for big games when they came along, while Jose Riveiro moved other pieces of the puzzle around him. Pirates have added the playmaking talents of Thuso Moleleki and the 23-year-old all-action star Select Rasebotja to an already well-stocked midfield selection that already includes Miguel Timm and Makhehlene Makhaula. No wonder Baloni is leaving on loan.

Does Baloni still have a future at Pirates if he has another productive period on loan?

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