Monnapule Saleng’s agent Karabo Mathang-Tshabuse says her client was not interested in leaving Orlando Pirates to join Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
Saleng, 27, was in and out of the squad for large parts of the 2024/25 season, due to mental issues, as Tshabuse now confirmed.
The skilful winger had started the season but then dropped out of the squad for reasons which were not disclosed by the club or then coach Jose Riveiro. His last official match for Pirates came in the CAF Champions League against Al Ahly.
There were also reports in South African media about an offer from the Egyptian giants, which had allegedly affected the player and caused him to stay away from training after Pirates were said to have rejected it – however, his agent now explained that there was no bid from the Egyptian giants.
“The Al Ahly deal is nothing further than the truth – at that stage Monnapule Saleng was not looking to leave. He was at Orlando Pirates, invested in the team, just going through something,” she told Mazola Molefe on Behind the Boot.
“This guy has a tattoo of Orlando Pirates on foot wrist, on his calf, the Orlando Pirates badge. For him, he arrived at his dream when he played for Orlando Pirates.
“And Jose Riveiro said he has never seen talent like that so for that to switch off because of a contract, it doesn’t make sense…
“When there is no information, people make up their own information. People made it about Al Ahly, it wasn’t. He was not interested in transferring at the time. Maybe he will be interested in transferring at a later point.”
Tshabuse also explained they decided to take Saleng on loan to ORBIT College this season for him to rediscover the best version of himself under coach Pogiso Makhoye, who had discovered him in the early stages of his career.
“And it takes us to why Orbit – to recover the player, to recover his confidence, his mind space to say you are who you think you are,” she explained.
“It’s actually the perfect place, because the one who discovered him, who nurtured him, is the one who’s in the PSL.
“You saw coach Pogiso came out to say I’m not happy with certain things but he’s my son, and if I’m going to scold him then I can tell you in the media that I’m not happy.
“Coach Pogiso and I speak a lot because our mission is rescuing and recovering Saleng to the star that he is again. But I wish that people would hold the space for people to go through things, we need to hold space to think maybe something else is going on, something maybe personal is going on.
“Riveiro said ‘you’re out, Nkota in’ and that was the start of like this guy needs further support and Orlando Pirates did try and support him. The support looks different now that he is still being supported through Orbit College and if Saleng can recover we’re going to see that star again.”