Orlando Pirates beat AmaZulu to Ndlondlo - Marumo Gallants gave Usuthu the cold shoulder

• Usuthu pursued Ndlondlo since January
• But Pirates beat them to the midfielder
• Ndlondlo has now started life at Pirates on a terrific note

WHAT HAPPENED? Orlando Pirates then signed the midfielder on the last day of the PSL transfer window. AmaZulu had started pursuing Ndlondlo since January while under Benni McCarthy and they tabled another “good offer” in the last transfer period when Brandon Truter had taken over. Zungu said the midfielder was interested in playing for Usuthu but Marumo Gallants turned them down.

WHAT THEY SAID: “In Ndlondlo, we were interested in him, but the chairman of Marumo was not interested in transacting the player to us,” Zungu told iDiski Times. “So that is all I can say. We tabled an offer and it was all over the place. But we tabled a very good offer for Ndlondlo. And for all we know the boy wanted to come and play for AmaZulu.

“But again, there are no hard feelings at all against Marumo because they were entitled to do so. We are happy for him, he’s a great player for Pirates”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ndlondlo made his Pirates debut last Saturday when the Buccaneers drew 0-0 with Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 semi-finals at Orlando Stadium. Ndlondlo started life at Pirates on a brilliant note by being named Man of the Match in that big game. If he continues with the form he displayed, he could prove to be the Soweto giants’ biggest signing of the season.

STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:

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WHAT NEXT FOR NDLONDLO? Pirates now prepare to face Sekhukhune United in Limpopo on Tuesday, and Ndlondlo would want to reproduce the form he showed against Sundowns. He would like to prove that Pirates made the right decision to bring him on board. As for AmaZulu, despite missing out on Ndlondlo, they still made big signings in midfield like George Maluleka, Dumisani Zuma from Kaizer Chiefs and Ethan Brooks.