SuperSport United have switched their attention to out-of-favour Orlando Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa before the current transfer window slams shut.
Lepasa, 27, has been playing second and third fiddle to Tshegofatso Mabasa and Evidence Makgopa in Jose Riveiro’s attacking front, and after Bradley Grobler suffered a serious injury, which could keep him out of competitive action for over four months, Gavin Hunt’s side are said to have identified him as priority target.
The former TS Galaxy frontman is no stranger to the Tshwane giants, having spent six months on loan there for the second half of the 2022/23 campaign before returning to Mayfair.
He started last season with 10 goals in six games in all competitions and his goalscoring form seemed to have unleashed a new beast in him but a minor injury setback saw Lepasa drop down the pecking order behind Mabasa and Makgopa.
Pirates head coach Riveiro was at some stage quoted saying, “He was in a really good space with a very high ratio of minutes played and goals, but we play with one striker, with one number nine, however you want to call it, and right now he was not in that space for a considerable amount of minutes,” Riveiro said at the time.
Should Hunt look at Lepasa as an option to aid his thin attack, it could be beneficial for both parties, as the lanky striker will get more playing minutes under his belt in order to re-establish himself into the Bafana Bafana fold and for Matsatsantsa to have an out-and-out established number nine that has garnered tremendous PSL experience.
Matsatsantsa currently have untested youngsters in Thabang Mahlangu, Lucky Muthewi, Siviwe Magidigidi and Orifha Maubelo. The only other experienced striker is Terrence Dzvukamanja, who played with Lepasa at Pirates, and the two could form a deadly partnership upfront.
