PSL: Top 5 January signings in Betway Premiership ahead of transfer deadline

by Devesh Jaganath

image PSL: Top 5 January signings in Betway Premiership ahead of transfer deadline
The transfer deadline in the South African Betway Premiership still has a few more days before slamming shut, but we have already seen several big moves made over the past month. Here we take a look at the top five signings PSL clubs have secured in the January window.

Mpho Chabatsane (Defender) - Orlando Pirates 

Orlando Pirates are having an excellent PSL campaign so far, currently third in the league standings with 29 points, just three points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, but they still have two games in hand on Masandawana. 

Many feel that this could be the year that the Bucs dethrone the Brazilians for the title, and they have bolstered their ranks in that regard, bringing in the highly rated Mpho Chabatsane from Marumo Gallants as a replacement for Mbekezeli Mbokazi. 

Chabatsane began his football journey at NWU-Vaal in the third tier before signing with JDR Stars, which put him on the radar of Gallants. He is able to play both in central defence and at left-back, which is the type of versatility that Pirates need for a busy end to the season. 

Brayan Leon (Forward) - Mamelodi Sundowns 

While Orlando Pirates are looking to overthrow Mamelodi Sundowns for the title, the Brazilians will not go down easily and have also brought in reinforcements for the rest of the season, with the most notable being Brayan Leon from Independiente Medellin. 

The 25-year-old attacker was one of the Liga Dimayor outfit’s standout performers in 2024-25, and has already made headlines for Masandawana, scoring on debut against Orbit College off the bench before following up with another goal against Sekhukhune United in his second match. 

Khulumani Ndamane (Defender) - Mamelodi Sundowns

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In addition to adding to their attacking ranks, Downs have also attempted to add further depth to their defence by signing Khulumani Ndamane from TS Galaxy to fill the void left by Mosa Lebusa and the long-term injury to Mothobi Mvala. 

Ndamane was part of the Bafana Bafana squad that travelled to Morocco for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, and while he did not feature in the tournament, he is one of the players that Hugo Broos has mentioned will be a big player for the national team in the future. 

The 21-year-old made his debut for the PSL champions in their 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune, and Miguel Cardoso heaped praise on his performance alongside Kegan Johannes in the heart of Masandawana’s backline. 

Gustavo Lopes (Midfielder) - AmaZulu

AmaZulu is another team that has enjoyed an excellent season in the PSL so far, earning 27 points from their 15 games. They are now just three points off second-placed Kaizer Chiefs, and you can check out all the insights for their match this weekend in our Marumo Gallants vs AmaZulu prediction. 

In an attempt to secure qualification for continental competition next season, Arthur Zwane has brought in Brazilian-born midfielder Gustavo Lopes, who was linked with a move to AmaKhosi, to add style and sturdiness to Usuthu’s engine room. 

Andre de Jong (Forward) - Orlando Pirates

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Orlando Pirates’ marquee addition in the January transfer window was bringing in Andre de Jong from Stellenbosch FC, marking a historic move for both parties, as he is now the first New Zealand international to play for the Soweto giants. 

De Jong started his career at Wanderers SC in Auckland and played for several clubs in New Zealand, which earned him his first call-up to the All Whites. He made 11 international appearances before opting to make the switch to the PSL, where he joined AmaZulu, followed by a short spell with Royal AM. 

The 29-year-old is a versatile attacker, having featured as the frontman and in an attacking midfield role during his time with Usuthu and Stellies. He has yet to make his debut for the Bucs since arriving at Orlando Stadium, but is expected to be in the squad for their clash against Magesi on Saturday.