Mbekezeli Mbokazi's ideal replacement identified as Orlando Pirates defender on verge of reported R50 million move

Orlando Pirates legend Moeneeb Josephs believes Nigerian defender Olisa Ndah is the best replacement for Mbekezeli Mbokazi. 

Mbokazi is reported to be on the verge of signing a R50 million contract with Chicago Fire. The towering centre-back has established himself as a key figure for the Soweto giants since he was promoted to the senior team from the DStv Diski Challenge side in March 2025. 

This season, he has played in 18 games and found the back of the net once. TLB, as he is famously known, missed Pirates' last Premier Soccer League game against Chippa United as rumours around his future at the club swirl. 

Should he finally move, coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has Nkosinathi Sibisi, Tapelo Xoki, and Lebone Seema as the other centre-back as centre-back options. 

“I made a point earlier on that Ndah has to be patient and wait for his chance, and this is that opportunity where if Mbokazi does move, imagine having a quality centre-back like Ndah,” Josephs said on the Soccer Beat podcast.

“Unfortunately, he fell down the pecking order, and he has to accept that it is what it is, and he has to wait for his opportunity," he continued.

"If Mbokazi moves, there’s no better replacement than Ndah coming into that position, so it will work perfectly for Ndah; he just needs to be patient.” 

Ndah has just returned to training after a lengthy layoff because of an injury. However, Mbokazi's exit could be a blessing in disguise for him because it means there will be less competition for the starting positions.

Mbokazi has become an undroppable defender, and in most cases, he started, as his defensive options were interchanged between Seema and Sibisi.

Although the KZN-born star has been a brilliant player in the PSL, some argue that moving abroad now is not the right time.

However, some feel the time has come, and the defender is ripe to challenge himself in another environment.

Another Pirates legend, Gavin Lane, is one of those who believes Mbokazi is ready for a new adventure.

“To get a move anywhere overseas, people will say, ‘Why didn’t he wait for a while, and why didn’t he go there? Sometimes people are fortunate to get an option to go. I mean, he is young enough to go there,” Lane said.  

“If he does well in America, other teams are still going to notice him in other countries. He has done extremely well at Pirates. He must go there and learn a bit more because good players are playing there. 

“He is still a youngster; let him go and try it out, and when he is 24, maybe he can go to England or anywhere - you will never know.”

Former Pirates star Thulasizwe Mbuyane believes the deal will benefit the Buccaneers and the defender.

“I see the news about Mbokazi in the media. They should just let him go to America. I don’t think Orlando Pirates will stand in his way,” Mbuyane told KickOff.

“It’s an opportunity for the boy to go and work, and if the R51 million rumour is true, then the move will also be good for the club. He must go fly the South African flag high. 

“I think his consistency is the reason things are happening so swiftly for him. You can see that whenever he is in the Pirates team, his hard work shows. He has been performing well for both the national team and Pirates," he added.