Orlando Pirates are believed to have secured the long-term services of one of their most influential players, the Siya crew understands.
The player in question is current first-choice goalkeeper Sipho Chaine.
With his contract set to expire in just over a month, according to insiders, the 28-year-old shot-stopper is believed to have agreed to a new three-year deal, keeping him at the club until June 2028.
Sources close to Chaine and the Buccaneers have added that negotiations between all parties have been underway for some time but have now been concluded successfully.
"At first it was the offer from the club to the player but now the new deal is as good as done. Apparently it's believed to be a three-year contract with improved conditions compared to the one he signed when he joined from Chippa United. Yes, it's expected to run from July this year until June 2028. The good thing is that all the involved parties are believed to be happy with the new and improved deal," the insider told Soccer Laduma.
A second insider disclosed that Pirates are planning adjustments to their goalkeeping line-up next season, including potential loan moves for some of their shotstoppers to ensure valuable game time.
"As they have Sipho as their first choice extending his contract they still have Melusi (Buthelezi) as the second choice but they are looking at loaning out the other goalkeepers to give them more game time. They will decide who stays as the third choice and have the DDC goalkeeper training with the first team. That's the plan for next season," the second insider believes.
Chaine joined Pirates in 2022 on a three-year contract and has grown into one of the team’s key players. He featured in most matches last season and has already played more in this campaign, helping Bucs as they challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the league title.
Soccer Laduma reached out to Pirates for comment but did not receive a response at the time of publishing this story.
