Cardiff City interested in 24-year-old Orlando Pirates midfielder | OneFootball

Cardiff City are reportedly keeping tabs on South African midfielder Thalente Mbatha

Cardiff City are keeping tabs on Orlando Pirates midfielder Thalente Mbatha, according to recent reports from South Africa.

Soccer Laduma have reported that Mbatha has been attracting interest from a Championship club, which they now believe to be Cardiff City, with the Bluebirds having enquired about the 24-year-old who only joined Orlando Pirates in January.

Mbatha joined the Pirates from SuperSport United and has become a standout player for the South African giants, earning a recent call-up to the South African national team for the first time.

The 24-year-old has spent his entire career in South Africa and with the transfer window recently closing, Cardiff won't be able to complete a deal anytime soon, but perhaps he's one they've got in mind for January as they look to build for the future.

Cardiff City's interest in Thalente Mbatha

Soccer Laduma reported last week that Mbatha was attracting interest from two European clubs, one of which was an unnamed Championship club, but recent reports state that the interested Championship club was indeed Cardiff City.

Sources told Soccer Laduma: "Yes, the club from England interested in Thalente (Mbatha) is Cardiff City. They have shown interest, and now it’s all about following the right procedures when you are interested in a player or you want a player.

“Apparently their scouts were there in Spain during the off-season. And they have followed up his progress in the few games so far this season, and they are impressed. All Pirates are believed to be waiting for an official approach from Cardiff City.”

Cardiff have plenty of depth in central midfield, so on the face of it, it's perhaps not a position that Erol Bulut's side are desperate for reinforcements in, but with Aaron Ramsey, Joe Ralls and Andy Rinomhota's contracts set to expire at the end of the season, there could be scope to freshen up their midfield with next season in mind.

If the Bluebirds were to complete a deal to sign Mbatha in January, one option would be loaning him to their sister club KV Kortrijk in Belgium to gain experience, like they did with Ryotaro Tsunoda last season, and like they have done with Roko Simic who completed a deadline day switch to the Welsh capital.

Mbatha has responded to links with the Welsh side, and made it clear he's not thinking about a move away from Orlando Pirates, telling Soccer Laduma: "My focus is at Pirates. I just recently got myself a contract at Pirates, so I think everything I am doing is for Pirates, and they are the ones who are going to decide what's going to happen in the near future. But my focus is with the Pirates."

Thalente Mbatha could freshen up Cardiff City's midfield

It's been a difficult start to the season for Cardiff, and their midfield hasn't been at its best, with Aaron Ramsey and Manolis Siopis struggling for form.

Alex Robertson has impressed after his recent arrival, and Rubin Colwill has looked very sharp from the bench, but the likes of Ramsey, Siopis and Joe Ralls aren't getting any younger, and often struggle to influence games like they used to.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Cardiff overhaul their midfield department next summer with a number of players out of contract, and Mbatha could be a smart signing.

He's only 24 and will be hungry to play in a league like the Championship, and he seems to have all the raw ingredients to be a success with the Bluebirds.

Having recently been called-up to the South Africa squad for the first time, he could well make his debut for Bafana Bafana in the upcoming international break, and Cardiff fans may just be paying attention amid their recent links with him.