- Former Kenya international Dennis Oliech has urged defender Joseph Okumu to move to England or Spain
- Okumu has played for Ligue 1 side Stade de Reims since 2023, but Oliech feels he deserves a move to the bigger league
- Teammate Emmanuel Agbadou, 27, recently left the Ligue 1 club to join Premier League strugglers Wolves
The genius of Harambee Stars Dennis Oliech has told Joseph Okumu to leave French club Stade de Reims and look for a club in Spain or England.
This comes after his centre-back at Stade de Reims Emmanuel Agbadou left the club to join Premier League club Wolves.
The Kenyan star has played for the Ligue 1 club since 2023 after joining KAA Gent of Belgium.
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Oliech's advice to Okumu
Okumu has played nine games this season in an injury-riddled season. Since joining the club, the 27-year-old has made 32 appearances for Reims, according to Transfermarkt.
Oliech believes that the defender should leave Reims and move to the Premier League or La Liga because he has surpassed those leagues.
“He has to move to the Premier League in the summer. He has what it takes to thrive in England or Spain. Okumu has punched above his weight in France, Belgium and Sweden and should prove himself in the big leagues, starting next season.”
“The good thing is that there has been interest from English clubs in the past and his agent should do that in July,” Oliech told SportsBoom.com.
Why should Okumu join EPL or La Liga
Okumu was linked with Italian club AS Roma last summer, but the transfer did not materialise. Oliech, Kenya's top scorer, lists reasons for Okumu to move to one of those leagues.
“His style of play may not suit the demands of the Italian league. Again, his qualities and rapid rise suggest that he is a better fit for EPL or La Liga,” he added.
Oliech warned against moving to Italy, saying he might struggle to adjust. He also told his compatriot to avoid moving to Asia.
“Someone like Okumu will end up winning big trophies in Europe, making a big name and getting paid better in Europe than in Asia,” he said.
Okumu is one of the few Kenyans playing in the top five leagues in Europe. His contract with the French club ends in 2028.
Oliech played for Nantes, AJ Auxerre, and AC Ajaccio in France.
When will Harambee Stars announce a new coach?
Former coach of Manchester United Benni McCarthy has been heavily linked with the Harambee Stars coaching vacancy.
The new president of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Hussein Mohammed has revealed that, as reported by TUKO.co.ke, the country will know its new coach in a week.
Francis Kimanzi was the one who coached the team for a while in the Revolution Cup championship in the islands of Zanzibar.
Harambee Stars are eliminated from the Revolution Cup
TUKO.co.ke also reported that Harambee Stars were knocked out of the 2025 Revolution Cup by the hosts of Zanzibar.
In the fierce competition, the locals scored a goal in the 93rd minute and reached the final.
Eight yellow cards and two reds in the match led to one-minute brawls.
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Source: TUKO.co.ke
