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The former Chemelil Sugar player has caught the eyes of scouts from top European teams.
Harambee Stars’ solid center back, Joseph “Crouch” Okumu who is currently plying his trade for Belgian club KAA Gent, is attracting the interest of top Europeans clubs ahead of a possible move in the summer.
The 25-year- old defender, who made his debut for Stars in the build up to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, has been linked with moves to Premier League side Arsenal and Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. His defensive metrics reveal why top clubs are eyeing him.
Okumu has been in stellar form for Genk this season. In 26 Jupiler Pro League games, he has made 2.3 interceptions per game. He has also made 1.5 tackles per game, while also recording a 66 percent ground duel win percentage.According to fbref.com, he is in the 94th and 93rd percentile for tackles and interceptions made respectively, making him a solid reader of the game statistically.
Okumu is also very good on the ball. He is in the 94th percentile for passes attempted per 90 minutes. He attempts 3.59 progressive passes and 0.97 progressive carries per 90.
When compared to Arsenal’s first choice center back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel , Saliba is also in the 94th percentile for passes attempted per 90. He attempts 3.91 progressive passes per 90 minutes, and 0.59 progressive carries. Defensively, his numbers are not as good as Okumu’s. He attempts only 1.28 tackles per 90 and 0.77 interceptions per 90.
Gabriel attempts 4.32 progressive passes per 90, and only records 0.39 progressive carries, putting him in the 39th percentile. Without the ball,he makes 1.48 tackles per 90 minutes, and only 0.7 interceptions.
You might argue that the Belgian Pro League may not be competitive enough. Then again, some of the best players in world football, including Kevin De Bruyne, honed their talents there.
Prior to joining the Pro League, Okumu was also in stellar form for Swedish side IF Elfsborg, where he was just as stellar.
In the 2020 Allsvenskan league, he topped the league for accurate long balls per 90, making 10.1 long balls, which is an important aspect for a modern team that is playing out from the back. Defensively, he showed his ability to read the game defensively.
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal need center backs that are good on the ball when playing out from the back. Rob Holding is a good defender, but his inability to be as good as William Saliba on the ball has made people express doubts about his suitability.
Ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window, Okumu had been touted as a potential successor to Chelsea-bound Kalidou Koulibaly, before they decided to sign South Korean international Kim Min-Jae from Valencia.
Napoli have developed a reputation for signing unknown gems and turning them into superstars. Kim is an example. Krvicha Kvaratskelia is another who has followed suit, as well as defensive midfielder Stanislav Lobotka. The fact that they considered Okumu, shows you he would be a good fit for a top 5 European League side.
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