Orlando Pirates legend Steve Lekoelea on Oswin Appollis transfer speculation - 'I don't see him coming back'

Orlando Pirates legend Steve Lekoelea has cast serious doubt over whether Oswin Appollis will ever pull on the famous black and white jersey again.

The Bafana Bafana winger stayed behind in the United States alongside Lyle Foster following national team duty at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

While the official line is that Appollis is simply enjoying a well-earned holiday, Lekoelea suspects there is much more happening behind the scenes.

"No, maybe there's a business going on, maybe there's teams that want him, that's why they are negotiating that side, but they don't want to make it public, as you know with contracts," Lekoelea told Kickoff.

"But I don't think he can do that thing of staying behind for a holiday.

"I don't see him coming back to Pirates, it was his combination with Mofokeng and [Tshepang] Moremi [that won Pirates a treble]," Lekoelea added.

The loss of such a vital component of the treble-winning side would be a massive headache for the Buccaneers' management as they prepare for the new campaign.

The potential departure of both Mofokeng and Appollis would leave a significant creative void in the Pirates' attack.

However, Lekoelea remains optimistic about the club's ability to evolve, noting that the historic league title win has raised the bar for anyone entering the squad at Mayfair.

"The standard has been lifted at Pirates, the other players will look at that, and when you go to Pirates, you will have to improve, because you saw that Pirates has just won the league, you can't just not perform," Lekoelea explained.

The legend believes the current momentum of the club should act as a catalyst for other squad members to step up and fill the gaps left by the departing stars.

Lekoelea warned that the Sea Robbers' faithful will expect immediate results regardless of who is in the starting eleven.

"And you know Pirates supporters don't have patience when the team is not performing, so you have to improve, you're playing for a big team, a nation's team," he concluded.

As the transfer window continues to simmer, all eyes will be on whether Appollis indeed returns to South Africa or if Lekoelea's prediction of a European move comes to fruition.