Zakhele Lepasa faces a critical period as he seeks more game time at Orlando Pirates, the Siya crew has been informed.
Sources close to both the player and the club have indicated that with Lepasa's contract set to expire on the 30th of June this year, the South African striker is at a crossroad.
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However, there is believed to be uncertainty within the club about whether to retain him with a new contract or let him go at the end of the season, making the next five months crucial for him at Pirates.
"Yes, these are the crunch five months for him. He has always wanted to play regularly whether at Pirates or somewhere else but the way things are now it's hard for him and his contract is coming to an end in June this year. It's believed that apparently the club still believes in him but then why not use him? Not even in the games which look simple so that he can regain match fitness after returning from injury. So due to all those factors, his future hangs in the balance right now as it's believed that there is even no new contract talks yet though his contract is less than six months to expiration. That's why they believe it's a crunch time for him at Pirates," the Siya source stated.
Previously, the Siya crew reported interest from clubs like SuperSport United and Sekhukhune United for a loan move, but nothing materialised.
Now, there's speculation that Lepasa could leave as a free agent at the end of the season.
"If Pirates are not yet offering him a new deal up to this time then there are chances he would leave as a free agent and join one of those clubs previously interested in him on loan. But despite that Pirates could still tie him down if they still need him. They have done it before with other players and it's all in their hands to decide his future. But as things stand now his current contract runs out in June. So these few months are very important in deciding his future," the second insider told the Siya crew.
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Lepasa, aged 27, progressed through Pirates' development ranks, spending time on loan before signing a senior team contract in 2019, which is set to expire in June 2025. Last season, he played many games, and was in good form earlier in the campaign, but for the rest of the year 2024 he began to consistently lose his place in the starting line-up. Lepasa is a player with high potential having represented Bafana Bafana in the past, so there will be interest in his services.
Soccer Laduma contacted Pirates for comment but the club had not responded by the time this report was published.
