Football agent Gary Cassisa has provided clarity on Tshegofatso Mabasa’s situation at Orlando Pirates, as speculation continues to mount over the prolific striker’s long-term future with the Soweto giants.
Mabasa has struggled to break into the Pirates starting line-up in the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season, facing competition in the striking department. The highly-rated forward starved for playing minutes under the guidance of head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, who took over the coaching job at the start of the current campaign.
In the first-half of the season, Ouaddou used Mabasa mostly as a second-half substitute despite his proven track record of scoring goals for the Soweto giants. The Moroccan coach preferred Evidence Makgopa, Yanela Mbuthuma, and Boitumelo Radiopane to share scoring responsibilities in their quest to compete for trophies.
The three strikers have seemingly struggled for consistent scoring form in front of goal, with Pirates missing most of the big scoring. Makgopa has scored five goals in the Premiership, and Mbuthuma netted four strikes, while Radiopane is yet to open his scoring account.
Despite a glaring lack of firepower in their attacking department, Pirates made the bold decision to loan out Tshegofatso Mabasa—the club’s leading marksman over the past two seasons—to Stellenbosch FC during the January transfer window.
The move came at a poignant moment for the “goal poacher,” who left the Sea Robbers while on the verge of history. With 50 goals to his name, Mabasa sits just eight strikes away from equalling the all-time club record of 58 goals held by the legendary Benedict ‘Tso’ Vilakazi.
However, his pursuit of that milestone has been put on ice, and his long-term future at the club remains shrouded in uncertainty. With his current contract set to expire in June 2026, Pirates are yet to open formal negotiations regarding an extension.
THE “MODERN FOOTBALL” PHILOSOPHY
Addressing the decision to sanction the loan move, Pirates head coach Ouaddou outlined a tactical evolution at the club that prioritises versatility and high-intensity mobility over traditional “box-striker” roles. While Ouaddou stopped short of naming Mabasa directly, his remarks provided a clear window into the athletic and tactical demands of his current system.
“Some people believe that strikers are only here to score; that type of football is over,” Ouaddou once explained. “Modern football demands efficiency. You must be mobile and play with or without the ball.”
The coach emphasised that defensive work rate is now a non-negotiable requirement for any forward looking to lead the line under his tenure.
“When pressing, we must recover the ball together. Someone who cannot do this—someone who is perhaps stagnant—cannot play at a high level and cannot fit into my team.”
WHAT AGENT SAID ABOUT MABASA’S FUTURE AT PIRATES
Mabasa’s agent, Gary Cassisa, has revealed Mabasa hasn’t closed the door to return to Pirates; however, the club has so far shown no serious intentions to keep the Bafana Bafana striker.
“Tshegofatso Mabasa hasn’t turned his back on Orlando Pirates. He wants to play for the club, break that top goal scorer record at Pirates, and possibly retire as a legend for the club. Should Pirates not make an offer, Mabasa would have to consider other options,” Cassisa told FARPost.
“I know the fans love Mabasa because we can see all the comments every week. Pirates just need to send a market-related offer, and we’ll consider it. He’s eight goals away from breaking the top goal scorer record, so he will want to stay.”
This past weekend, Mabasa once again proved his scoring qualities after bagging a brace in Stellies’ 2-1 victory over Chippa United in the league and took his goal tally at the club to three goals since arriving in January.
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