Gor Mahia sign two players, target five more

Former Gor Mahia midfielder Kenneth Muguna (right) vies for the ball with Zoo Kericho defender Dominic Ouma during their Sportpesa Premier League match at Moi Stadium in Kisumu on March 18, 2017. Muguna has re-joined the club on a three-year deal. PHOTO | TONY OMONDI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He added that the club is looking to recruit a top striker, central defender, offensive left, offensive right and holding midfielder on recommendation from the team’s technical bench.
  • “I have lined up a meeting with the Gor Mahia technical bench, who should be able to tell me the players they want me to bring in and at the same time recommend, who should be released to create room for the incoming players," Aduda said.

Ugandan international Shafiq Batambuze is among the two players SportPesa Premier League champions Gor Mahia have recruited as they look to add seven players into their playing unit ahead of the new season set for December.

The 23-year-old left full back, who was with Singida United of Tanzania, joins on a two-year deal and has been described as the perfect replacement for fellow countryman Godfrey Walusimbi, who left the club mid-season for South Africa's Kaizer Chiefs, according to the club's Chief Executive Officer Lodvick Aduda.

Also rejoining Gor Mahia is midfield maestro Kenneth Muguna, who had a brief stint with K'Ogalo, before joining Albania’s FC Tirana.

According to Aduda, the 22-year-old Muguna, who was voted 2016 KPL player of the year while plying his trade with Western Stima before joining Gor Mahia last season, has signed a three-year deal which will tie him to the club till October 2021.

“I want to confirm that we have already signed Batambuze and Muguna and are still chasing five more players, who will help bring balance in the team as we look to defend the league title and at the same time make an impression at the continental level”, Aduda said via phone on Wednesday.

He added that the club is looking to recruit a top striker, central defender, offensive left, offensive right and holding midfielder on recommendation from the team’s technical bench.

“I have lined up a meeting with the Gor Mahia technical bench, who should be able to tell me the players they want me to bring in and at the same time recommend, who should be released to create room for the incoming players," Aduda said.

Aleast three players will axed from the current squad, while several others will be loaned to other clubs, as the club looks to have a lean squad.

Gor Mahia, who open their league title defence against their bogey team Bandari in Mombasa on December 8, lost top striker Meddie Kagere and defender Walusimbi during mid-season, a move which left the club without cover, thus failing to make it to the knockout stage of the Caf Confederation Cup.

In another development, Bandari will mostly rely on their junior team to beef up their squad for the coming season.

Bandari secretary Edward Oduor on Wednesday said that the three days’ trial lined up by the club will not be the only avenue to recruit players, adding that a majority of the players in the junior team will be given a priority.

“We want the coaches to do their job and tell us exactly whom they want in the senior team and who should be dropped, but emphasis will be on Bandari youth team, which has been our feeder team for the past three years”, Oduor said.

Bandari made history after finishing second in the just concluded campaign.