Makaab confident Radiopane will return to Pirates next season

Young striker Boitumelo Radiopane’s agent, Mike Makaab, is confident the on-loan player has a future with Orlando Pirates, having found recent form in the first division with Cape Town Spurs.

Radiopane, who set the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) reserve league scoring charts alight last season with 23 goals, is on loan at Motsepe Foundation Championship side Spurs, where Pirates sent him to work with coach Shaun Bartlett and earn more experience.

After battling injuries, the 20-year-old Sebokeng-born goal poacher has regained fitness and scored four goals in three games - three in the league and one in the Nedbank Cup preliminary round.

Speaking on KwaZulu-Natal-based radio station Gagasi FM, Makaab dismissed speculation Pirates are considering recalling Radiopane early.

“I would like to think there has to be a chance he will [go back to Pirates next season],” the agent said.

“There were talks about the possibility of him going back now - those were all rumours.

“The most important thing is the young man has been given an opportunity to play after an injury layoff.

“He scored again on Monday when Spurs beat All Stars 2-0. Four goals in three games - he is a prolific goal-scorer.

“We saw what he did in the DDC last season, and again he’s a wonderful human being.

“He is a very serious young man, and I think we are going to see big things from him going forward. The most important thing for him is to keep his feet on the ground and remain humble.”

Spurs assistant coach Nasief Morris recently told the media about the team's excitement at welcoming Radiopane back from injury and said he was one of the key players in the club’s bid for promotion.

“I think since the first few weeks we saw him, we knew there was something there,” Morris said.

“The only [issue] was a few niggle injuries. Fortunately now we have him injury-free and hope it stays like that because we know how valuable he is to the team.”

Former Bafana Bafana striker Bartlett has steered Spurs to third place in the second tier with 30 points from 16 games, three points behind top-of-the-table Polokwane City and second-placed Casric Stars.

Spurs are away to City at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday (3.30pm).