The Fifa rule preventing a player from turning out for three clubs in a season would block a potential move for Kermit Erasmus to Orlando Pirates until the end of the 2017-18 Premier Soccer League season‚ Bucs coach Milutin Sredojevic has said.

Sredojevic said that‚ even if Erasmus were available now‚ the coach feels he already has “the best players in South Africa”.

Pirates’ coach said his team did not want to court trouble in a similar manner to Ajax Cape Town – facing boardroom battles over fielding Tendai Ndoro at his third club this season – by signing Erasmus‚ released from his contract at French club Rennes last week.

“As far as I know‚ deeply analysing Fifa rules‚ he would need to wait until June to be able to register anywhere else except in Turkey‚ Russia‚ Sweden and China or the Far East‚ or places like that‚” Sredojevic said.

“He cannot register. Because on our side‚ that TMS (Transfer Matching Systems) in Fifa is closed – you cannot open it.”

Fifa rules state that an exception to the three-club rule – which‚ contrary to Sredojevic’s interpretation‚ allows players to register with three clubs‚ but can play for only two – is that it does not apply when the season of one of the clubs overlaps.

Sredojevic hinted that a return to Pirates for the striker‚ who left Bucs to join Rennes in January 2016‚ might disrupt the flow of a squad finally showing signs of adapting to the coach’s style.

“We have the greatest respect for him. He has given good service to the team‚” the coach said.

“I do not have to speak about him right now because administratively we cannot finish (a deal).

“I’m the most happy person. I believe that I have‚ for me‚ in my judgement‚ the best players in South Africa here with us.”

Erasmus‚ plagued throughout his career by accusations of laziness by various coaches‚ was released with five months left on his contract at Rennes.