Orlando Pirates have shaken up the transfer market in the PSL following the confirmation of the signing of in-demand Polokwane City winger Oswin Appollis.
Appollis has been on the radar of both Pirates and cross-town rivals Kaizer Chiefs for the last one year and it is the Buccaneers who have won the race for his signature.
The left-winger joins Pirates to beef up the attack, having swapped Polokwane for Johannesburg, and his signing has implications on some of those at the club.
As a left winger Appollis’ arrival brings into focus the standing and future of youngster Relebohile Mofokeng at Pirates.
Like the new signing, Mofokeng also plays on the left-wing, where he is able to cut in with his stronger right foot to cause havoc, and while competition is welcome, what does Appollis’ arrival really mean for one of South Africa’s best young players?
Reduced workload for Mofokeng
The immediate thing Appollis’ signing does to Mofokeng is that he will now have someone to share the goal scoring and chance creation responsibilities with, allowing him to sit out some games to avoid burnout.
Mofokeng played nearly every game last season, managing 49 matches across all competitions, as he played a key part in their run to second place in the league, CAF Champions League semi-final and the finals of both Nedbank Cup and MTN8.
While he has the legs, he still does not have the body as at 20, his gametime needs to be managed carefully and that is what having strong competition in the form of Appollis will afford him.
Less pressure on Rele’s shoulders
Meanwhile, with Appollis sharing the responsibilities with Mofokeng, the 20-year-old will have less pressure of carrying the team on his young shoulders like he had to do last season.
To show just how important he was, Mofokeng had 12 goals and 15 assists last season, the club’s top scorer, as he was the man who provided the spark when things got tough.
While it is huge compliments to him, it is too much to ask if a 20-year-old is the man to bail out the team constantly but he now has someone to share the burden with.
No.10 role for Pirates’ youngster?
The other theory that might be looked at is how new coach Abdeslam Ouaddou could potentially use both wingers in the same starting X1 given they the duo like to play on the left.
While a switch of wings cannot be ruled out, it points to Rele potentially slotting into the No.10 role more often to accommodate Appollis on the left and have Mohau Nkota on the right.
This is not a new thing for Mofokeng as he has done it on certain occasions for both Pirates and Bafana Bafana but whether it is a role that he enjoys only time can tell.
Are Pirates preparing for Rele’s exit?
However, with all this said, the signing of Appollis could potentially mean that Pirates are preparing for the departure of Mofokeng, who is attracting interest from Europe.
The forward was on the radar of many teams last year but opted to stay although the interest has not died down and as the days go by, a big-money bid could be submitted which would entice both parties.
It could therefore be that Pirates do not want to get caught off-guard and are planning well in advance for if or when Rele leaves.
