How Wazito lured former Gor Mahia star
What you need to know:
On Tuesday, the newly promoted club bolstered their squad by unveiling three big signings including Burundi captain Karim Niziyigimana, formerly a Gor Mahia player.
Others new players who were unveiled alongside Nizigiyimana are Rwandan Abouba Sibomana and deadly forward Elvis Rupia who joins from Zambia top-flight side Power Dynamos
- The new signings have reportedly cost the team about Sh8 million, arguably more than any other team has spent to acquire players in this window
Kenyan Premier League returnees Wazito FC are looking like the real deal ahead of the 2019/20 season.
On Tuesday, the newly promoted club bolstered their squad by unveiling three big signings including Burundi captain Karim Niziyigimana, formerly a Gor Mahia player.
Others new players who were unveiled alongside Nizigiyimana are Rwandan Abouba Sibomana and deadly forward Elvis Rupia who joins from Zambia top-flight side Power Dynamos. They have all inked two-year deals.
"I was not sure whether to return to Kenya because I received offers from other clubs while playing at the Africa Cup of Nations," said Niziyigimana who spent the last season at Uganda's Vipers.
"But the offer (from Wazito) was tempting, I could not resist it. This is a very ambitious team, now we have a strong squad and I am certain we will surprise people this season," he added, without elaborating.
This newly signed trio joins eight other big-name signings who were announced earlier on in this transfer season.
They are Harambee Stars defender Bernard Ochieng, two other strikers in the frame of Pistone Mutamba and Derrick Otanga, ex-Kariobangi Sharks goalkeeper Gad Matthews, Kevin Omondi and Joshua Otieno.
The new signings have reportedly cost the team - owned by Dubai based businessman Riccardo Badoer - about Sh8 million, arguably more than any other team has spent to acquire players in this window.
They replace another 15 players who have been released by mutual consent despite guiding the side to the second-tier National Super League title in May.
And speaking to Nation Sport, the club's sporting director Solomon 'Solo' Alubala explained the club is in talks with regional bigwigs Azam (from Tanzania), Cecafa Kagame cup champions KCCA, Vipers and Uganda Revenue Authority (all from Uganda) with a view of competing in pre-season friendlies to fine-tune for the new season which starts late August.
"The friendlies will help the new team to settle. We will be competing in the league this season to win it," Alubala vowed.
The club has identified the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos County and Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, as their home grounds next season.
The team will play Nzoia Sugar in its opening game on August 30.
