Certain sections of the media have suggested that a club from the Middle East had registered an interest in Saleng as an unnamed Portuguese club reportedly put in a bid for Maswanganyi.

Pirates have since issued a statement addressing the rumours.

The club posted: "As Orlando Pirates Football Club, we have noted with great concern a growing trend of misinformation circulating on social media and in certain media outlets regarding alleged offers for some of our players.

"Ordinarily, the Club refrains from engaging with baseless rumours aimed at creating unnecessary sensationalism and clickbait. However, the persistence and escalation of these unsubstantiated claims now compel us to set the record straight.

"The misinformation began with a fabricated story regarding Monnapule Saleng, alleging that the Club had denied the player a lucrative transfer opportunity to a team in the Middle East.

"Initially, we chose to disregard this as, yet another false narrative meant to explain the player's temporary absence from the playing squad. Unfortunately, the story has since gained unwarranted traction, even being picked up by some mainstream media outlets."

The statement continued: "Orlando Pirates Football Club categorically denies ever receiving any offer from a Middle Eastern club for the services of Monnapule Saleng.

"On 13 January 2025, Kickoff.co.za published an article titled, The Gulf Region team was serious about Saleng, a story claiming that an agent, Rui Frois, met with a "high-ranking" Pirates official to discuss Saleng’s availability. Let it be clear: The Club does not conduct its business in malls.

"No official from Orlando Pirates Football Club has spoken to Mr. Rui Frois regarding this matter.

"On 20 January 2025, Briefly News Sports published an article titled, Portuguese Club Eyes Bid for R40 Million-Rated Orlando Pirates Star. Once again, the Club categorically rejects this as sheer gossip. No such offer has been presented to the Club.

"It is deeply troubling that these baseless stories are not only misleading but also serve to disrupt the focus of our players and destabilise the team. This is entirely unacceptable.

"As a professional organisation, Orlando Pirates Football Club remains committed to conducting our business with integrity and transparency. We urge media outlets and individuals to verify information before publishing, as false reporting not only harms the players and the Club but also diminishes the credibility of the platforms involved.

"We thank our supporters for their unwavering trust and encourage them to rely on official channels for accurate updates."

Orlando Pirates rubbish player transfer reports