Lorch makes stunning deadline day transfer, leaving Pirates for Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns have turned heads again, leaving it late on the Premier Soccer League transfer deadline day to sign Orlando Pirates forward Thembinkhosi Lorch.

The 30-year-old, who has been with the Buccaneers since 2015, departs the club with four major titles - three MTN8 and Nedbank Cup.

During his time at Pirates, he made 176 appearances, scored 34 goals, and provided 30 assists.

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"Thembinkosi Lorch is to leave Orlando Pirates Football Club after a discussion between the Chairman Dr. Irvin Khoza and the Mamelodi Sundowns hierarchy," the Soweto giants said in a statement released on Friday evening ahead of the midnight closure of the January transfer window.

"The club thanks 'Nyoso' for his immense contribution by adding another page in the history of the club. We wish him and his family well in his future sporting pursuit."

Over the past seven seasons, Lorch has been one of the standout performers and a fan favourite at Pirates despite facing challenges with injuries and off-the-field issues.

Last year, he was found guilty of assaulting his girlfriend in 2020.

After several postponements of the case, he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment. The entire sentence, however, was suspended for five years on the condition that he is not found guilty of a similar offence during this period.

Additionally, he was ordered to pay a R100 000 fine to People Opposing Women Abuse, a women's rights organization.

Elsewhere on deadline day, Sundowns secured the services of Tashreeq Matthews, a 23-year-old midfielder born in Cape Town. Matthews initially left South Africa in 2019, joining the academy of