Thalente Mbatha: Renowned SA Agent Backs Orlando Pirates Star to Play in Europe

South African top football agent Mike Makaab has tipped his client, Orlando Pirates' Thalente Mbatha, to have what it takes to play in Europe.

The South African international has been an important player for Orlando Pirates since joining the Soweto giants on a permanent move from SuperSport United in 2024.

He was part of the squad that won the MTN trophy at the start of the season and missed out on winning the Betway Premiership, Nedbank Cup (losing to Kaizer Chiefs in the final), and the CAF Champions League, where they were knocked out in the semi-final.

Makaab tips Mbatha to play in Europe

In an interview with iDiskiTimes, Makaab encouraged his client to improve his game, as he believes Mbatha has what it takes to play abroad after what he has achieved with Orlando Pirates in such a short time.

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

“Thalente and I have spoken several times this week — he’s with the national team, as you know, and he’s happy at Pirates and working hard. "But we've talked about the fact that he needs to push even harder. It’s not enough to simply arrive at this level and maintain it, he has to aim higher and elevate his game.

“There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that he has the talent to play in Europe. He’s got an excellent passing range, he’s an intelligent player, and he covers a lot of ground, true box-to-box qualities. On top of that, he has a strong second-range shot.

“In tight matches, players who can score from outside the box often make the difference, and Thalente has that in his locker. So yes, the potential is there, but it all depends on him taking that next step, and that’s something we’ve been discussing.”

Source: Briefly News