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Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has emerged as a shock target for the Johannesburg-based side who are in the market for a striker before the transfer window shuts on September 20.
Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga has emerged as a surprising target for South African giants Kaizer Chiefs.
Olunga, who plays for Qatari side Al Duhail, is reportedly among the names that new coach Nasreddine Nabi is looking at as the Johannesburg-based side continues their search for a striker.
According to South African outlet Soccer Laduma, Chiefs are interested in bringing the Kenyan international to South Africa but fear the financial commitments involved in such a deal could be too much for them.
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“Olunga has been recommended to them by scouts. He is a very strong striker and if they don’t get what they are looking for, then they may settle for him,” a source told Soccer Laduma.
“They have monitored his games and they have been impressed but you know, it is not a one-man show. There are other people or parties involved to bring him in. But yes, Chiefs have shown interest in him and things are looking promising.”
Olunga has been at Al Duhail since January 2021, having joined for a reported fee in the region of €6 million (Ksh853 million) and become a club legend by breaking numerous scoring records.
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09:30 - 03.09.2024
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Olunga is unlikely to be available for Harambee Stars' first two AFCON 2025 qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Namibia due to injury which leaves the center forward option up for grabs.
He has scored 118 goals in 250 matches, winning back-to-back Golden Boot Awards, and opened the new season in style by bagging a hat-trick as Al Duhail thrashed Qatar SC 6-1 last month.
As a key asset, the Qatari club will likely not sanction a move away while such a transfer would attract a significant price, with the player guaranteed a massive signing-on fee.
These are some of the sticky issues that make a deal to Chiefs almost impossible as the struggling South African giants have already missed some of their top targets due to the limited funds they have to spend.
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“The only thing that could stumble the move could be the financial prospects of the whole deal. You know coming from Qatar could not be cheap but you know if he comes as a free agent, then that would be a different story which Chiefs would be able to manipulate,” another source told Soccer Laduma.
It, however, looks like a wild goose chase for Chiefs given how highly Al Duhail value Olunga but they seem determined to test his and his club’s resolve as other targets such as Congolese striker Fiston Mayele, who worked with Nabi at Yanga, have proved difficult to acquire.
The South African transfer window is still open until September 20.
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