Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns could be responsible for Orlando Pirates' continued search of a reliable goalkeeper.
Pirates made a surprise shot-stopper signing of Sipho Chaine from Chippa United on transfer deadline day but the Siya crew has it on good authority that Chaine was not their first choice target.
As reported in edition 1295 of Soccer Laduma, the Buccaneers actually made a late bid for the services of AmaZulu goalkeeper Veli Mothwa in the final hours of the registration period on 22 September.
Read: World Cup Key To Ofori's Bucs Future?
The Soweto giants have been linked with the signing of Mothwa for much of the off-season but they were beaten to his signature by his current club, who tied him to a long-term contract.
The Sea Robbers seemed to be prepared to pay a significant transfer fee but Usuthu were not willing to do a last-minute deal and Pirates settled for Chaine instead.
Soccer Laduma has been reliably informed that the powers that be at Pirates are growing frustrated of current number one goalkeeper Richard Ofori's sloppy mistakes and have intensified their efforts to get Mothwa.
Pirates got close to signing a quality goalkeeper in 2020 following the sale of Bidvest Wits, as they looked to bring on board Brandon Petersen.
However, Petersen's close relationship with Gavin Hunt, who joined Chiefs from the same club, influenced the former Wits shot-stopper to sign for the Naturena-based side, despite the fact that they had a transfer ban.
"I was set on going to Orlando Pirates becaue I had a guy [from the club] come to my house and we spoke about contracts and everything," Petersen said on Chiefs' official Youtube channel.
"Then coach Gavin [Hunt] called me and said he wanted me at Chiefs but at the time, they had the [transfer] ban so we were waiting for the verdict, which was that they couldn't sign any players.
"The season passed and halfway through coach Gavin left and coach Stuart [Baxter] came in. I had worked with coach Lee [Baxter] and he was impressed and was keen on keeping me there.
"So, when coach Stuart came in, that was it. They decided to keep me," he added.
Pirates raided the Wits squad after the club was sold, as they captured the signings of Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Terrence Dzvukamanja and Thabang Monare.
The Sea Robbers also signed Ofori from Maritzburg United but again, it seems like the Ghanaian was not their prime target, as they were heavily linked with former SuperSport United goalkeeper Ronwen Williams just a year later.
Sundowns also beat Pirates to Williams' signature in the off-season after they were linked with the Bafana Bafana number one goalkeper, at the same time they were pursuing his number two at the national team, Mothwa.
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