Sweeter Ingwe splash the cash
Chris Omollo | NATION
Harambee Stars goalkeeper Wycliffe Kisaya in action during the team’s training session at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani. AFC Leopards have signed the player from Red Berets.
What you need to know:
- But with a Sh15 million Mumias Sugar Company sponsorship, the Sh1.7m Leopards spent is far less than Sofapaka’s Sh6m last year
AFC Leopards revelled in splashing Sh1.7 million by the close of Monday’s transfer window as they signed the Red Berets duo of goalkeeper Wycliffe Kisaya and Eric Ochieng’.
The Premiership club is enjoying a Sh15 million sponsorship from Mumias Sugar Company. However, the amount is far less than the Sh6 million Sofapaka spent last year on players as they prepared to defend the title.
Silas Aluvisia, formerly of Sony Sugar, was the most expensive signing. He cost Ingwe a combined Sh200,000 – shared halfway between the player, as signing fee, and his former club.
Compare to Torres
Brian Masiolo, who was last season with Western Stima, pocketed Sh85,000 and his club earned Sh100,000 as Leopards strengthened their squad ahead of the new season.
Compare this to the Sh6.4 billion English Premiership side Chelsea spent to sign just one player – Fernando Torres, from Liverpool – on Monday.
With what Torres cost Chelsea, Leopards can build a stadium and a training complex.
The biggest earner
Kenya Premier League Limited was yet to release the full list of transfers by Tuesday evening.
On Tuesday, Leopards confirmed having signed Kisaya and Ochieng’, whose club was disbanded last week after being relegated from the Kenyan Premier League.
“They are now our players. We have signed them [Kisaya and Ochieng’] for free,” said Leopards chairman Julius Ochiel.
The biggest earners from the Leopards cash, however, were the Congolese duo of Dimonde Selenge and Itubu Imbem, who each pocketed a Sh150,000 signing fee. Former Sofapaka striker Lauren Tumba was handed Sh130,000.
Most expensive
Tusker FC spent Sh125,000 to bring three players to Ruaraka, the most expensive of them being Levy Muaka, who cost Sh55,000 from Nairobi City Stars.
Mathare United goalkeeper Duncan Ochieng’ cost the brewers Sh45,000 while Mahakama defender Isaac Otieno dented their coffers by Sh25,000.
Leopards, like many other clubs, refused to divulge their players’ earnings but Ochiel said his club will offer competitive salaries to their aces.
Sofapaka is the highest paying Kenyan club; some of their players earn up to Sh100,000 monthly besides match allowances and bonuses.
