Stalwart Orlando Pirates Defender Happy Jele's Future at the Club Confirmed After Return From Injury

• Long-serving Orlando Pirates mainstay Happy Jele will sail on with the Buccaneers beyond the 2021/22 season
• Struggling with injury this season, it appeared Jele was on the way out as he started featuring less for the team when fully fit
• Jele, who has been at the club since signing on in 2016, making over 400 appearances for the club, was a popular selection in the DStv Compact Cup

Orlando Pirates defender Happy Jele had an encouraging return from injury, and his future at the club is now firm after being up in the air for a while.

Jele was selected overwhelmingly by voters to start for the Warriors in the DStv Compact Cup against Amabutho. He put in a solid performance as his team won 2-1 to reach the final.

According to Soccer Laduma, the 35-year-old Jele is in the final six months of his contract at the club, and the club did not appear in a hurry to extend it. This was on the back of him having already being sidelined by co-coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Fadlu Davids before his injury.

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This appeared to change today when a Goal.com reported stated that the Buccaneers had exercised the option to extend his 16 year stay at the club.

"Magents" as he is also known, became the most capped Pirates player of all time when he took the field for his 400th club appearance against Swallows FC in a Soweto Derby clash last September.

He had already broken the long-standing record which was previously held by former Nigeria and Pirates goalkeeper Williams Okpara with 375 appearances.

Malawi's Gabadinho Mhango gets Orlando Pirates contract extension after brilliant AFCON 2021 showing

Another player with a timely return to form at Orlando Pirates was Malawian star Gabadinho Mhango.

As reported on Sports Brief, he will stay on at the club until at least 2023, ending months of speculation about his immediate footballing future.

Mhango had a sensational 2021 African Cup of Nations for The Flames, including scoring one of the best goals in the competition's history.