The line of signings at Orlando Pirates have given the biggest indication that Angolan winger Gilberto’s chances of returning to the club are on the drop.
Gilberto has been back in familiar territory at Petro de Luanda since the beginning of the year and won his third consecutive Girabola title with the club.
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He will play in the CAF Champions League, which will start in September.
As reported by this website at the beginning of last month, the 24-year-old’s loan was extended after the end of the Girabola season, pushing his stay in Luanda to the end of the year.
This means instead of having to return to Pirates for pre-season, he will continue at Petro until the end of December.
Gilberto spent six months at the Soweto giants during the first half of last season but struggled to make an impact.
He had a single appearance from start to finish from the 12 games that he got under Jose Riveiro before asking to be loaned out in January.
With the signings that Bucs have since made on the wings, where Gilberto plays, he will find himself further down the pecking order when he returns.
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Besides the regular wingers from last season Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota, Pirates have now added Oswin Appollis, enveloping Gilberto in darkness.
Pirates paid about R10 million in landing Gilberto last year and will seek to recover some of that funds if a permanent transfer is ironed out and he eventually doesn’t return to the club.
Photo: Alche Greeff/Gallo Images
