Abdeslam Ouaddou dissects Sebastian Pedersen signing

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has shed light on the reasoning behind the acquisition of Norwegian striker Sebastian Pedersen ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The 27-year-old marksman spent his entire career in his homeland, and was lured from Sogndal IL, who compete in the OBOS-Ligaen, the second-tier of Norwegian football.

He scored an impressive eight goals in 14 league appearances last season, and has a total tally of 59 goals with nine assists in over 160 games in his club career.

Now, Pedersen is set for a new chapter in South Africa, having signed a two-year deal plus an option for a further year with the reigning Betway Premiership champions.

Ouaddou says the centre-forward was roped in to address the lack of cutting edge that was witnessed in the previous campaign, despite clinching a domestic treble.

“I think the scouting department of the club is looking for a profile that can help us to increase the average of the conversion rate, as you know last season we were the team with the best average of chances created in the continent,” said the Bucs mentor.

"And we have some good players with us, and I think he's integrating in the group. We needed this finisher as you saw last season, we needed this profile that can finish the action, and I think the scouting department has seen him and we have also seen him.

The 47-year-old tactician went on to reveal that the former Norway under-21 international was part of the pre-season camp in Spain, which was imperative for his integration with the squad.

“I think it's somebody who can bring us his freshness, his quality, his competencies and it's why it was very important for us to have him for a couple of days in Spain, trying to integrate him,” Ouaddou added.

"You can be a good player but when you come into a new environment - we have to make it easy for him and to integrate him in our collective.

Pirates, meanwhile, begin their Betway Premiership title defense with a clash against newly promoted outfit Milford FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, 01 August.

Hlayisani Magoro

Editorfr, en

Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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