Gor Mahia midfielder Khalid Aucho linked with Glasgow Rangers move
What you need to know:
- The 22-year-old holding midfielder is also said to have drawn interest from South Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe due to his impressive performance last term when he led Gor Mahia to a double.
Gor Mahia midfielder Khalid Aucho has been linked with a sensational move to Scottish Premier League.
According to British newspaper the Daily Record, Scottish Premier League giants Rangers FC have joined a list of high profile clubs chasing the Ugandan international's signature.
"It is true that Glasgow Rangers have approached me. They are interested in my services and as a matter of fact, I want to join them," Aucho is quoted as saying in the daily.
The 22-year-old holding midfielder is also said to have drawn interest from South Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe due to his impressive performance last term when he led Gor Mahia to a double.
"I have information about this interest (from Rangers) but there has been no official contact between the two clubs. I am told our former coach (Frank Nuttall) might have something to do with this development which is okay. There are also several clubs in South Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe courting the boy, but he is still contracted to us," Gor Mahia secretary Ronald Ngala told Daily Nation Sport on Friday.
Nuttall - a Scottish trainer - managed Aucho at Gor Mahia for close to 16 months, a period ending February 2016.
Managed by Mark Warburton, Rangers have won 54 league titles, 33 domestic Cups and a Uefa Cup and remain the most successful, and second most popular professional sporting outfit in Scotland.
TOUGH RULES
Though still far off, a direct move from the Kenyan Premier League to its Scottish equivalent will represent a significant mileage for both Kenyan football and Gor Mahia.
However, a transfer to Scotland would entail a rigorous process considering the Kenyan Premier League is ranked as a semi-amateur competition in Europe, Asia, the US and even some parts of Africa.
Should the transfer go through, Aucho - who was voted the second best midfielder in the KPL last season – will have to secure a work permit to work in Britain as was the case with Kenyan star Macdonald Mariga during his failed bid to move to English giants Manchester City in 2010.
However, having played consistently for 72nd ranked Uganda Cranes in competitive assignments over the past four years, Aucho - who has been likened to Harambee Stars captain Victor Wanyama - is in a position to convince the Home Affairs Office in Britain that his case is exceptional.
This development arrives barely months after a former Gor Mahia Ugandan midfielder Geoffrey "Baba" Kizito attended trials at Spain's top flight club Malaga.
