Newly signed Orlando Pirates midfielder Makhehlene Makhaula has explained how his move to the club was close to being delayed by another six months.
Makhaula was announced on a one-and-a-half-year deal from AmaZulu on the last day of the January transfer window period.
The former Usuthu skipper has been one of the consistent performers in the PSL for the past few seasons.
The move to the Buccaneers came as no surprise for the 33-year-old. Speaking to journalists on Monday ahead of the Soweto derby, Makhaula explains how the move nearly collapsed.
“I first heard it from my agent [Sizwe Ntshangase], He is the one who called me. We had been trying to push the move to happen during the January transfer period,” he said.
“So on the 30th he told me that we should leave it and we will look at it again at the end of the season. But around 11 or 12pm on that day he told me to pack because we are going to Johannesburg.
ORLANDO PIRATES MOVE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR MAKHEHLENE MAKHAULA
“I was surprised and I couldn’t sleep because I did not believe that I was going to join Pirates. I couldn’t believe it because earlier on he told me something else but later on it was happening so I couldn’t sleep,” added Makhaula.
“But it was all happening and he assured me in the morning to say the two chairmen [Sandile Zungu and Dr Irvin Khoza] have come to an agreement. So I had to go say my bye to the teammates at AmaZulu, it was sad but had to happen.”
WHY HE CHOSE JERSEY NUMBER 36
“There was no other number that I could have used. But the more I thought of Oupa [Manyisa] because he started at Pirates with number 36. So I told myself that I should revive the number.”
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