ORLANDO Pirates have until August 5 to register five more players for the African Champions League and are still looking to settle on reinforcements for the group phase, even though they are just days away from their opening game.
Lennox Bacela and Rooi Mahamutsa are the only players confirmed by club sources who admitted Pirates are still scrambling to get three more players on their books and into the squad for the league competition.
Confederation of African Football rules allow Champions League participants to register 25 players at the start of the competition and five more in midyear for those who qualify for the group competition.
The deadline for registration comes after Pirates' second game in the group, away against Al Ahli of Egypt on August 4.
It had been expected Pirates would move swiftly in the transfer market to strengthen their squad for the Champions League, where they share a tough group with holders Al Ahli, their Egyptian compatriots Zamalek and AC Leopards of the Congo, who won last year's African Confederation Cup.
But instead, Pirates have made hardly any impact in the transfer market so far with the signing of striker Bacela from Bloemfontein Celtic their only major move to date.
They have players back from loan like Aubrey Ngoma and William Thwala, and had Joseph Malongoane and Jacky Motshegwa on trial. But none is seen as the kind of potential match winner or impact player Pirates need if they are to win the African crown.
The club has been linked with Kermit Erasmus and Khama Billiat in recent weeks but deals for both players are not yet off the table.
The lack of a more forceful approach in the market is somewhat baffling considering what is at stake for the club. The big prize is a chance to compete in the year-end Fifa Club World Cup.
Bucs may miss Cup window
ORLANDO Pirates have until August 5 to register five more players for the African Champions League and are still looking to settle on reinforcements for the group phase, even though they are just days away from their opening game.
Lennox Bacela and Rooi Mahamutsa are the only players confirmed by club sources who admitted Pirates are still scrambling to get three more players on their books and into the squad for the league competition.
Confederation of African Football rules allow Champions League participants to register 25 players at the start of the competition and five more in midyear for those who qualify for the group competition.
The deadline for registration comes after Pirates' second game in the group, away against Al Ahli of Egypt on August 4.
It had been expected Pirates would move swiftly in the transfer market to strengthen their squad for the Champions League, where they share a tough group with holders Al Ahli, their Egyptian compatriots Zamalek and AC Leopards of the Congo, who won last year's African Confederation Cup.
But instead, Pirates have made hardly any impact in the transfer market so far with the signing of striker Bacela from Bloemfontein Celtic their only major move to date.
They have players back from loan like Aubrey Ngoma and William Thwala, and had Joseph Malongoane and Jacky Motshegwa on trial. But none is seen as the kind of potential match winner or impact player Pirates need if they are to win the African crown.
The club has been linked with Kermit Erasmus and Khama Billiat in recent weeks but deals for both players are not yet off the table.
The lack of a more forceful approach in the market is somewhat baffling considering what is at stake for the club. The big prize is a chance to compete in the year-end Fifa Club World Cup.
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