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Kenyan clubs missing out on millions from transfers
What you need to know:
- For the past two seasons Kenyan football clubs, unlike their regional counterparts, have failed to mint millions from transfer of their star players to foreign leagues.
- A well negotiated transfer can rake in Sh40 million, money that if well used, can run a club for a year. Ugandan outfit Vipers SC in January 2016 pocketed a similar amount from the the sale of Farouk Miya to Belgian side Standard Liege.
- In 2016, Tusker and Gor Mahia went empty handed after losing strikers Jesse Were and Michael Olunga to Zesco United (Zambia) and Djurgardens (Sweden) respectively.
For the past two seasons Kenyan football clubs, unlike their regional counterparts, have failed to mint millions from transfer of their star players to foreign leagues.
A well negotiated transfer can rake in Sh40 million, money that if well used, can run a club for a year. Ugandan outfit Vipers SC in January 2016 pocketed a similar amount from the the sale of Farouk Miya to Belgian side Standard Liege.
In 2016, Tusker and Gor Mahia went empty handed after losing strikers Jesse Were and Michael Olunga to Zesco United (Zambia) and Djurgardens (Sweden) respectively.
While Jesse’s contract with the brewers had expired in December 2015, Olunga had seen out a one-year loan at Gor from Liberty Sports Academy, who eventually bagged approximately Sh16 million in his move.
Last year, Mathare United and Gor lost key players Eric Johanna and Erick Ouma to Swedish and Georgian clubs on free transfers.
Interestingly, Kenyan Premier League (KPL) minnows Kariobangi Sharks made about Shs11 million in the sale of striker Masoud Juma to South African outfit Cape Town City this month leaving many clubs pondering on missed opportunities.
AFC Leopards for instance failed to tie down Ugandan winger Allan Katerrega before loaning him out to Ugandan champions Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) in August 2017.
The 23-year-old’s contract with Ingwe expired December last year and has joined Juma down South, signing a three-and-a-half-year contract with Cape Town City on Tuesday.
The dreadlocked player quickly fixed a loan deal in his home country after a publicised touchline bust up with coach Robert Matano during their 1-0 loss to Bandari in Nakuru County.
“We released Kateregga on the advice of the coach and fans should understand no official will interfere with the technical bench concerning the playing unit,” Leopards secretary general Oscar Igaida told Nation Sport.
He regrettably added, “We overlooked the Kateregga issue because we had given the coach a free hand but going forward, we will look at the commercial interest of the club as we want to make money from the sale of players in future.”
Last year alone, Ingwe reportedly received Sh1.5 million and Sh1 million from the sale of Kevin Kimani and Kezironi Kizito to Saudi Arabia and India respectively.
