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The Kenyan centre-back could be playing in Ligue 1 next season is the latest proposal gets the greenlight
Harambee Stars defender Joseph Okumu could be on his way to Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims if he reaches an agreement with the French club.
According to Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Reims have tabled a fee just below €12 million to his club KAA Gent which the Belgian Pro League side have reportedly accepted and are waiting for a greenlight from the player’s side.
“La Gantoise did receive an official offer from #StadeDeReims slightly lower than the €12M requested for Joseph #Okumu,” Tavolieri posted on Twitter.
“A proposal accepted by the leaders of the Buffalos. This still gets stuck at the level of personal conditions with the Kenyan central defender. If the agreement were to succeed, the latter could sign a 4-year contract.”
Okumu has been the subject of interest from a number of European sides due to his sterling performances for Gent in the last two seasons and was thrust to the rest of the world last season as the Belgian side reached the Europa Conference League quarter-final.
Okumu was a mainstay in Gent’s defence, making 30 league appearances while scoring one goal and providing an assist.
The latest development comes just over a week after Okumu was appointed one of Gent’s vice captains, the 26-year-old assuming a pivotal leadership role within the team, further solidifying his reputation as a promising talent.
Okumu's football journey began in Kisumu, where he started his career at former Football Kenya Federation Premier League side Chemelil Sugar after completing his high school education at Kakamega High School.
It didn't take long for his talent to be noticed beyond the borders of Kenya. Within just six months, he ventured abroad and joined Free State Stars in South Africa, before later joining AFC Ann Arbor in in the United States in 2018.
His performances caught the attention of scouts, and he subsequently made his move to Real Monarchs. In August 2019, Okumu's exceptional abilities attracted the interest of Swedish club IF Elfsborg, moving to Europe for the first time, and lasted two seasons before Gent snapped him up in June 2021 for €3.5 million.
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