Speculation surrounding Patrick "Tito" Maswanganyi's future with Bahraini club Al-Khaldiya SC has put the South African midfielder in the limelight, but Arnold Rankoko, Maswanganyi's manager, has denied the rumors.

Maswanganyi allegedly ended his contract with Al-Khaldiya over the weekend amid disciplinary problems, according to rumors that went around on social media. Rankoko, though, denied the allegations and blamed anonymous people for trying to tarnish the player's image.

Rankoko emphasized Maswanganyi's continued dedication to the club and his preparation for their forthcoming match in an interview with KickOff on Monday afternoon.

Someone obviously feels animosity toward this young man. Rankoko clarified that the midfielder was training for Wednesday's game and denied any such rumor.

He further insisted that Maswanganyi's continued involvement with the club was supported by the photos of the player posted on the club's social media accounts.

Rankoko was irate that the accusations were spreading and said that people on social media and in the media should have reached out to the player, his club, or anyone associated with him for confirmation before publishing the stories.

He wanted to know if anyone had documentation to back up the claim that Maswanganyi's contract had been terminated.

The midfielder's manager went on to defend his character, saying the player is reserved but not ostentatious or disobedient.

Rankoko made a comparison between Maswanganyi and French international Michael Olise, citing the examples of Doctor Khumalo and Brian Baloyi, two former South African football stars, to illustrate how players' off-field behavior varied from their on-field personas.

Maswanganyi, he said, had decided to seek opportunities abroad in part because of the bad press he had received in South Africa. The midfielder would never play for South African national team again, according to Rankoko.

While playing for Al-Khaldiya, Maswanganyi has started all eight matches and scored twice, according to Rankoko. He elaborated by saying the player was intent on making an immediate impact on the team and scoring his first goal.

The match between Al-Khaldiya and Al Wahda was set to take place on Wednesday at 8:15 pm South African time. Al-Khaldiya was reportedly in second place in the Bahraini Premier League following six matches.

The final team selection would decide whether Maswanganyi features, but his involvement in the fixture could give a clearer indication of his current status at the club.

Rankoko has chosen to ignore the rumors about his departure from the club, claiming that they are baseless and hurtful to the midfielder.

Source;https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2114992107580543198