Pirates to send Shonga on loan?



Orlando Pirates are expected to make changes to their squad at the end of the season and, according to sources, Justin Shonga is one of the players that could form part of those changes. It was reported earlier this year that Shonga could be exiting the PSL, with interest in his services mounting from abroad. The Zambian forward had been linked with clubs in Turkey, Russia and Azerbaijan.

Having started his Pirates career on a high, with regular game-time in his first few months, Shonga quickly moved down the pecking order under coach Josef Zinnbauer.

And the 23-year-old player is said to have become increasingly concerned with his lack of progress, fearing the possibility of being excluded from Zambia’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Shonga is contracted to Pirates beyond the current season and, with indications that Pirates may opt against selling him, sources have revealed that he could be sent out on loan in the PSL, with Maritzburg United show-ing an interest in him.

“Maritzburg are showing interest in Justin Shonga from Pirates. The player’s name has been mentioned, and he could be one of the options for Maritzburg for next season. All the decisions will be made at the end of the season,” said the source.

Shonga has made only three Absa Premiership starts for the Buccaneers this season, and has been a notable exclusion from Zinnbauer’s match-day squads in the matches leading up to the enforced hiatus due to the Coronavirus outbreak. The forward could follow in the footsteps of former Pirates teammate Thabiso Kutumela, who has been named in the latest Bafana Bafana squad, as well as Tebogo Tlolane, who is on loan at Maritzburg.

It was recently reported that Maritzburg’s Judas Moseamedi has emerged as the latest target for Bucs. It remains to be seen if the two clubs will discuss a potential swap deal.

Comments