Gent's towering center-back Joseph Okumu seeks new challenge amid growing interest.
In-demand Harambee Stars defender Joseph Okumu is once again making headlines as he pushes for a departure from Belgian club KAA Gent.
The Kenya international, who has previously been linked with top clubs like Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund, has garnered attention with his impressive performances since joining Gent in 2021.
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Gent faces the challenge of holding onto their prized defender as Okumu is eager for a fresh challenge elsewhere.
Alongside Okumu, goalkeeper Davy Roef and Alessio Castro-Montes are also seeking departures.
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“Davy Roef wants more playing minutes, and Alessio Castro-Montes is under contract for only one year more and can count on interest from France, Italy, and Germany - including Augsburg and Hamburg. Just like last summer, Joseph Okumu is also pushing for departure,” read reports from the Belgian portal Nieuwsblad.
Okumu's exceptional performances have not gone unnoticed, as he was selected in the Sofascore Team of the Season for the 2022/23 Belgian Pro League, earning a remarkable rating of 7.15.
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The strike marked the midfielder's second goal of the season and halted his team's six-game winless run.
This rating is a testament to his defensive prowess, replicating the heroics he displayed during the 2020 season while playing for Elfsborg in Sweden. In the Europa Conference League, he was solid, maintaining a rating of 7.09.
While Okumu has previously expressed his contentment at Gent, stating that he enjoys being at the club, it appears that circumstances may have changed.
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"At the moment, that is not the case. I am here at Gent, and I like being here. I concentrate on what I have to do, and that is playing football. If a suitable opportunity arises, I shall consider it," Okumu said at the beginning of the season.
The young defender's career began in the Kenyan Premier League with Chemelil Sugar after completing his education at Kakamega High School.
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The midfielder stood out in the just-concluded season and could be on the move in the transfer window.
However, he soon ventured beyond his home country and joined the South African side Free State Stars. Okumu's journey then took him to the United States after a one-year career break, where he played for AFC Ann Arbor and Real Monarchs.
In August 2019, IF Elfsborg acquired the talented center-back, and his contributions were instrumental in the team's qualification for the Europa League after a commendable second-place finish in the Swedish Allsvenskan.