Orlando Pirates to lose Thalente Mbatha this transfer window? Agent confident 'There’s no doubt that if he does that...'

Thalente Mbatha has been a key Orlando Pirates player after joining from SuperSport United.

Based on the player's performance, his agent Mike Makaab feels the central midfielder has enough quality to play in Europe.

“Yes, I do [believe he can play in Europe],” Makaab told iDiski Times. 

“Thalente and myself spoke quite often this week, he’s with the national team as you know. He’s happy at Pirates, working hard. But he needs to work harder, we have spoken about that. 

"If he wants to move to the next level and not be satisfied that you have taken the step and now being here, I have to maintain. What he has to do is take himself to the next level. 

“There’s no doubt that if he does that, he is a player who can play in Europe; there’s no doubt in my mind. He’s got a great range of passing, an intelligent footballer, surprisingly covers a lot of ground, box to box, and he has a very good second-range shot," added the former Pirates coach.

“So, when you have players who can score goals from outside the area in tight games, sometimes that’s the difference. So, there’s no doubt he has the ability to play in Europe. But he needs to work a little harder to take his game to the next level, it’s something we have discussed.”

Mbatha is in his second season at Pirates after his initial loan stint from SuperSport United.

Jose Riveiro opted to give him a regular role in midfield at the Soweto giants, and the Spaniard's decision paid off.

Now, this is s player strongly contending to go to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals with Bafana Bafana.

Going to Europe might spruce up Mbatha's profile, especially as an international player.

But for now, no overseas club has been known to have made an official bid for the central midfielder.