Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Benedict 'Tso' Vilakazi has expressed his reservations about the club's recent acquisitions.

Last week, the Buccaneers announced the signing of Sephelo Baloni [All Stars], Katlego Otladisa [Marumo Gallants], Melusi Buthelezi [TS Galaxy FC], and Patrick Maswangwanyi [SuperSport United].

In an interview with KickOff, the 40-year-old Vilakazi shared his thoughts on Pirates' new signings.

"Maswangwanyi is an exceptional midfielder; it's rare to find someone of his caliber," Vilakazi stated. "From the start of the season, I could tell he is an outstanding player. However, my concern is that Maswangwanyi is a ball player. You see, the Pirates' midfielders are more inclined to mark their opponents and pass the ball to (Paseka) Mako or (Innocent) Maela on the sides, or distribute it to (Tapelo) Xoki or (Nkosinathi) Sibisi at the back. That leads me to question why Pirates signed Makhehlene Makhaula?

"The advantage of having Makhaula is that he's a hard-working midfielder. He doesn't lose possession easily, doesn't always play it safe by passing to the sides, and doesn't solely rely on second balls.

"As for Buthelezi, I'm not sure if they checked his statistics before bringing him on board. How could they sign a goalkeeper from a club that isn't even in the top eight? Perhaps Pirates conducted their research, but I remain sceptical.

"Regarding Otladisa, yes, he's now part of Pirates, but I wouldn't have made that decision if I were the coach. The talent we currently have at Pirates surpasses Otladisa by far," he added.

"In my opinion, signing a player should be based on addressing the team's deficiencies. We already have Thembinkosi Lorch, who can take on players and score, and Monnapule Saleng, who is adept at creating and scoring. However, can Otladisa match their abilities in both areas?

"As for Baloni, he's a promising player who deserves an opportunity. I only saw him during the Nedbank Cup, and I was impressed with his bravery and ability to make things happen. However, I'm uncertain if he was at his absolute best on that particular day. Nonetheless, I strongly believe he deserves a chance to prove himself."

Vilakazi's remarks have sparked debate among Pirates' supporters on social media, who are eagerly awaiting the team's performance in the upcoming season. With the seasoned midfielder's critical eye on the new signings, the pressure is on for the players to demonstrate their true potential on the pitch.

Benedict Vilakazi critiques Orlando Pirates' recent signings