Orlando Pirates announce signing of former Highlands Park winger Jooste

Premier Soccer League (PSL) giants Orlando Pirates have snapped up former Highlands Park winger Wayde Jooste.

The 28-year-old winger has joined Bucs on a free transfer having parted ways with Highlands Park after the club sold its PSL status to TS Galaxy.

Jooste, who can also play as a right-back, caught the eye of the Soweto giants after making 17 appearances across all competitions in the 2019/20 season and netted once in the process.

Pirates released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon:

"Orlando Pirates Football Club is pleased to announce the signing of Wayde Jooste on a three-year deal," a club statement read.

"Jooste, who has played for Bloemfontein Celtic, Golden Arrows and Highlands Park, joins the Buccaneers as a free agent."

The speedy player played an instrumental role in helping the Lions of the North eliminate Pirates from the 2019 MTN8.

His solitary strike earned Highlands Park a narrow 1-0 win over Pirates in the quarter-final clash at Orlando Stadium in August 2019.

Jooste is happy to have joined the Soweto giants and he disclosed that it is a dream come true as he grew up supporting the club. 

“I am happy to have joined Orlando Pirates, This is an opportunity I look to grab with both hands," Jooste told the club's official website. 

"I know everybody says this is a dream come true but before I started playing professionally my father and I supported Orlando Pirates.

"Whenever we played against Pirates it felt special because I felt I was getting closer to my childhood dream."

Jooste is a well-travelled player having started his professional career at Bloemfontein Celtic in the 2013/14 season. 

The Port Elizabeth-born player spent three years with Phunya Sele Sele before moving to the coast to join Lamontville Golden Arrows. 

His debut for Abafana Bes’thende was against Pirates in 2016 and he spent three years with the club, when he was snapped up by Highlands Park in July 2019.

Jooste is pleased to emulate his "homeboy" Daine Klate, who was on the books of Pirates between 2010 and 2015.

"Today I find myself playing for the club that I not only support but a club that even my homeboy Daine Kate also played for," Jooste concluded.

Klate, who retired from professional football last year, helped the Soweto giants clinch two PSL titles, two Nedbank Cups, two MTN8 titles and a Telkom Knockout Cup.