Orlando Pirates Told Only Player Who Can Replace Relebohile Mofokeng at the Club

• Orlando Pirates legend Tso Vilakazi backed Emile Witbooi as the closest available replacement for Relebohile Mofokeng
• Mofokeng left Pirates for Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise following Bafana Bafana's 2026 FIFA World Cup run
• A R18.6 million price tag on the 17-year-old Cape Town City FC star has complicated Pirates' transfer pursuit

Orlando Pirates club legend Tso Vilakazi has identified Cape Town City FC's Emile Witbooi as the most suitable candidate to fill the void left by Rele Mofokeng, describing the teenager as a "special signing" who could come closest to matching the departed attacker's impact.

Mofokeng, 21, completed a move to Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where his performances during Bafana Bafana's historic progression to the Round of 32 drew widespread attention. His departure closes the chapter on what was arguably his finest domestic season, with many expecting him to be named the 2025/26 PSL Footballer of the Season.

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Vilakazi's verdict on Witbooi

Speaking to FARPost, Vilakazi was candid about how difficult replacing Mofokeng will be.

"Yes, it's going to be difficult to replace him. It's not easy when you lose a player like Rele and now try to replace him," he said. "When we talk about Rele, we are talking about a special player, a one-of-a-kind player."

Despite that, Vilakazi pointed firmly in one direction.

"One player who comes to my mind when we talk about Rele's replacement is the son of [Bradley] Ralani. Witbooi is the only boy who I think can make a difference. He won't replace Rele, but he would be a special signing and could come close to Rele's level. Rele is a once-in-a-generation player. It's not every day that such players are discovered."

Why Pirates suits Witbooi

Vilakazi, nicknamed 'The Little Napoleon' during his playing career and widely regarded as Pirates' all-time top scorer, argued that the Soweto club's environment would accelerate the 17-year-old's development.

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"One thing in football is that the growth of a player depends on the environment you are in," he said.

"If Witbooi can come to Pirates, he can be in a good position to grow, like how you saw how Rele grew and the likes of [Mohau] Nkota and [Mbekezeli] Mbokazi became star players. Pirates will give him the perfect place. If he goes there, he will become a big player and a household name in South African football."

Witbooi gained Betway Premiership experience before Cape Town City's relegation to the Motsepe Foundation Championship and is now heading into his third professional season.

The transfer pursuit has not been straightforward. A reported asking price of R18.6 million has emerged as a significant obstacle in negotiations.

Meanwhile, Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, currently overseeing a pre-season camp in Spain, has already added left-backs Neo Rapoo and Aphiwe Baliti, midfielders Matome Mmolai and Mthetheleli Mthiyane, and attackers Ghampani Lungu and Bohlale Ngwato to his squad ahead of the 2026/27 season.

Source: Briefly News