Sunderland Tracking South African 13-Goal Striker With Scouts Continuing Overseas Search

Sunderland continue to be linked with potential summer signings, with scouts reportedly keeping an eye on Orlando Pirates duo Tshegofatso Mabasa and Thalente Mbatha.

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Sunderland scouts are reportedly keeping a close eye on South African striker Tshegofatso Mabasa, with the 28-year-old forward currently playing for Orlando Pirates. According to South African news outlet Soccer Laduma, the Black Cats have shown interest in Mabasa while scouting his teammate, midfielder Thalente Mbatha.

This comes as part of Sunderland's ongoing efforts to strengthen their squad ahead of their potential promotion to the Premier League. Mabasa, who has been with Orlando Pirates since 2019, has impressed Sunderland scouts with his performances, especially after finishing as the South African top-flight's top scorer last season with 16 goals.

Tshegofatso Mabasa stats at Orlando Pirates 2024/25 season (Transfermarkt)

Competition	Appearances	Goals	Assists
CAF-Champions League	11	2	0
Betway Premiership	18	5	0
Nedbank Cup	2	4	0
Carling Knockout	1	0	0
MTN8	4	2	1
Total	36	13	1

This season, he has netted 13 goals in 36 appearances, proving his goal-scoring ability and consistency to find the net. However, a potential move to England could be complicated by work permit issues, as Mabasa has not been regularly called up to the South African national team in recent years, which could affect his eligibility for a UK work permit.

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The Black Cats are expected to have a big summer transfer window, placing lucrative price tags on their key players who are being tracked by some of the biggest clubs in the world. The recruitment of both Mabasa and Mbatha seems to be more likely if the club remains in the championship, as neither player has experience at the top levels of European football.

The interest may seem unusual to Sunderland fans as the club seems to deviate from Black Cat's usual transfer policy, which typically focuses on signing young, promising players.

However, it could highlight the clubs realisation about the importance of experience in the Championship, having dropped valuable points over the past 3 seasons due to 'naivety' and 'inexperience'.