Cape Town City star Emile Witbooi has missed two matches amid speculation linking him with a move to Orlando Pirates.
The 18-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from the club, with reports suggesting that the Buccaneers were interested in securing his services.
Witbooi’s absence from action raised questions about his fitness, with reports indicating that he sustained an injury while representing South Africa’s U20 side during the international break.
Cape Town City coach Andries Ulderink has since confirmed that the youngster returned from international duty with an injury that worsened during the tournament in Mozambique.
Pirates chasing Witbooi
“No, he came back with an injury from the [FIFA] international break. He went there [Mozambique] with a few issues,” Ulderink told journalists.
“He’s played a couple of games over there as well with that injury. It got a little bit worse, and so now he’s recovering from that.”
The coach’s comments clarify the reason behind Witbooi’s recent absence, with the youngster now recovering from the setback.
Meanwhile, Cape Town City chairman John Comitis has confirmed that the club held discussions with Orlando Pirates over a possible transfer, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement over Witbooi.
Speaking to KickOff, Comitis explained that City had decided to retain the highly rated teenager for the current season, although a potential move could still be considered before the campaign ends.
“We decided to keep Emile Witbooi to assist us this season. There is still a lot of interest, and we may still do something before the end of the season,” Comitis said.
“We saw a lot of media frenzy around the kid. We were very happy to listen to offers. We did speak to Orlando Pirates, but nothing materialised.”
For now, Witbooi remains a Cape Town City player as he continues his recovery but will Pirates pounce?