Orlando Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic insists Thembinkosi Lorch is a ‘key player’, suggesting that he will remain at the club despite speculation linking him with a move to Europe.

Lorch dazzled in the 2018-19 season for Pirates as he went on to pick up the Footballer of the Season award before being named in the Bafana Bafana squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

He may not have got the minutes he had hoped for in the competition, but he was the star man who netted the all-important goal that eliminated hosts Egypt from the last 16.

His performances over the last year are said to have caught the attention of French Ligue 1 side Toulouse as well as Percy Tau’s former club in Belgium, Union Saint-Gilloise.

The young forward missed his side’s loss in the Caf Champions League preliminary round against Green Eagles at the weekend, but Micho was quick to reinforce the importance of Lorch to the Buccaneers.

‘He has grown a lot and you can see that he always fights for the team. He is a player with a lot of creativity and as a team, we are proud to have him,’ Sredejovic said at a media conference.

‘As a team, we are looking forward to competing in the [Absa Premiership] league and the Champions League, and Lorch is one of our key players.’