Mabalane eyes Swallows deal

FORMER Orlando Pirates winger Dikgang Mabalane is training with Moroka Swallows this week, hoping to rescue his floundering PSL career.

The 32-year-old was released by the Buccaneers late last month after they failed to find a buyer in the transfer window.

Injuries meant that Mabalane had made just 28 starts in the past two seasons and despite having a year remaining on his Pirates contract, he reached a settlement with the club for his release.

Now the former Bafana Bafana international hopes to join the over-30s club at Swallows, where he is on trial this week as coach Zeca Marques decides whether he can add value to his squad.

"Mabalane is here with us and we will look at him," Marques confirmed.

"We are not specifically looking for new players, I am very happy with the squad that I have got, but when the opportunity comes along to look at a player with his experience, then it is worthwhile giving it a go. If we believe he can improve on what we currently have, then we can sit down with him and discuss options."

Swallows were interested in signing Mabalane from Pirates back in June and had him on a shortlist of recruits for this season. But they instead chose to bring in Nigerian right wing Felix Obada from Maritzburg United, who has had a good start to his career with the Birds.

They will now consider whether they need Mabalane as cover for Obada, with another ex-Bucs star, Joseph Makhanya, also able to play on the right.

Club chairman Leon Prins said Mabalane's teammate at Pirates, left back Lizo Mjempu, was also training with the Birds, after he was deemed surplus to requirements at the defending champions.

Although not committing to anything, Prins mentioned that they also have Zimbabwean international winger Oscar Machapa in the team but were impressed with Mabalane.