Could goalie Mvuyekure play for Orlando Pirates next season?
Thursday, June 11, 2020
Emery Mvuyekure, who earned his maiden senior call-up in the national team in 2010, spent the last two seasons with Kenya Premier League side Tusker.

South African side Orlando Pirates have expressed interest in Rwandan international Emery Mvuyekure who spent the last two seasons with Kenya’s Tusker FC.

The 30-year old is a free agent after his two-year contract with Tusker expired with the 2019-20 season.

Mvuyekure is among the three goalkeepers on the Pirates radar after impressing the preliminary round of selection, which comprised seven candidates.

The club’s technical bench is currently analyzing the performance of the three players – using their videos – before deciding on who to invite for final trials and contract negotiations.

"My manager is handling the process, he is the one who sent the videos to Orlando Pirates. First, we were seven prospects, now only three – including me – remain on the shortlist,” Mvuyekure told Times Sport in an interview on Thursday.

Mvuyekure, who earned his maiden call-up in the senior national team at the age of 20, in 2010, joined Kenyan outfit Tusker from local giants APR. He also previously played for La Jeunesse, Police and AS Kigali.

"Playing in the South Africa Premier League would be a great step in my career.”

"The last two seasons with Tusker were a great experience, I gave everything for the team. There is a possibility of extending the contract, but I first want to pursue the Orlando Pirates chance and see how it goes.”

If he joins the Pirates, Mvuyekure will become just the second Rwandan goalkeeper to play in South Africa’s topflight league after Olivier Kwizera who played for Free State Stars from 2016 to 2019.

In March last year, Mvuyekure was recalled to theAmavubi squad for the Group H clash against Côte d’Ivoire in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

It was the player’s first call-up in the senior national team since 2014.