Maraisane: Mamelodi Sundowns sign ex-Orlando Pirates target

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena has revealed the signing of attacker Pule Maraisane.

The former South Africa Under-20 star spent last season at Cape Town All Stars.

"We have signed Pule Maraisane, who is working extremely hard to get into the best physical condition," said Mokwena as per Soccer Laduma.

"We train to make sure that everyone is ready and understands the schemes as well as the tactical culture.

"This is the work that we do here because we need every player - and there's still a lot of them that will get more opportunities. George Maluleka has been fantastic at training, Lesedi Kapinga is showing some rejuvenation and fight."

Maraisane arrives at Chloorkop with the experience of having previously played in Turkey, Sweden and Portugal.

He was once an Orlando Pirates target and claimed that he had signed for the Soweto giants ahead of the 2019/20 season.

But the Buccaneers denied ever signing the player, which led to the player telling Far Post in October 2019:

"People said I made up that story, but imagine why would I leave Turkey for SA and come sign for Pirates and lie?"

"I don't know where to start but Orlando Pirates and Cape Town City were interested in me, so I decided to go to Pirates. I had a meeting with the chairman [Irvin Khoza] and he asked me why I want to play for Pirates and I told him I had been in Europe for long - eight years, so it's better I come home.

"The next day I came to Pirates' offices and signed. Everything went well - I went to training, stuff like that."

He then said the Buccaneers left him for pre-season camp under unclear circumstances.

"Then they went for camp and left me behind - it just started weird," said Maraisane.

"My agent asked them for money then they said, 'wait we need to look at Pule play before we pay', but I was already signed. Then now I asked for my clearance, so I'm sitting at home without a team."

"Before I came to South Africa there was a team in Portugal that wanted to sign me, but I wanted to come home and be close to my mom. I'm going back to Portugal in January. I wanted to leave now, but I have to wait for Pirates to issue my clearance."

Maraisane arrives at Sundowns with his new employers in fantatstic form and opportunities in the first XI limited, especially in an attacking sense, with the Chloorkop outfit at the top of the PSL table with a goal difference of plus 11 after just six matches.