Gilberto Returns To Petro De Luanda After Orlando Pirates Struggle

South Africas Orlando Pirates have loaned winger Gilberto, full name Deivi Miguel Vieira, back to his hometown club Petro de Luanda for the remainder of the 2024/2025 season.

Gilberto arrived at the Buccaneers in July 2024 at a reported fee of around R11 million. However, he struggled to achieve consistent play at the club.

Orlando Pirates has reached an agreement for the loan transfer of Angolan international Gilberto to Petro de Luanda for the remainder of the season, the club said in a statement on Friday 24 January.

The move sees Gilberto return to his hometown club, pending the successful completion of a medical.

The 23-year-old right winger made just 12 appearances for the Bucs during his stint - five in the Betway Premiership , four in the CAF Champions League, two in the MTN8 and one in the Carling Knockout. He also failed to score a goal or make an assist across his 323 minutes of play for the Buccaneers.

Pirates have had to fend off persistent rumours about their transfer activity in recent days as the January transfer window deadline approaches.

Earlier this week, they denied media reports that they received offers for Monnapule Saleng and Patrick Maswanganyi, labelling these rumours as sheer gossip.

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, they said.

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