- A number of Harambee Stars players have sealed what could be important transfers ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations
- Kenya, who are one of the hosts, will need to assemble a strong squad that will compete against Africa’s crème de la crème
- We take a look at the Kenyan players who swapped clubs in the recent past, with AFCON 2027 one year away
Harambee Stars players have been in the news during the just-concluded winter transfer window in major European leagues.
Source: Twitter
Multiple clubs were busy throughout the window, with Crystal Palace securing Jørgen Strand Larsen from Wolves in a club record fee, while Karim Benzema inched closer to swapping Al-Ittihad for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia amid Cristiano Ronaldo’s reported refusal.
Amid all these, Kenya also won on the global front with multiple national team players moving to higher-calibre leagues.
Harambee Stars players who have sealed huge moves
With the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on home soil just around the corner, it will be important for head coach Benni McCarthy to bring together a group of players who have been exposed to high-level competition.
We take a look at the Kenyans who moved up the ladder during this transfer window and why it matters.
1. Manzur Okwaro Suleiman – Reims (France)
Manzur became a darling of Kenyan football lovers during last year’s African Nations Championships (CHAN) before he sealed a move to newbies Nairobi United.
His stay at the CAF Confederation participants didn’t last long as Stade de Reims won the race to get his signature. He will start with the Pro 2 team before moving up to the senior team, where he will link up with Harambee Stars assistant captain Joseph Okumu.
2. Amos Wanjala/Aldrine Kibet – Valencia/Celta Vigo (Spain)
Soon after, Harambee Stars U20 captain Amos Wanjala joined La Liga side Valencia, though he will start with the development side VCF Mestalla.
Wanjala followed in the footsteps of Aldrine Kibet, who joined Celta Vigo last year but will need to work their way to the senior teams and feature in the La Liga.
4. Zak Vyner – Wrexham AFC (England)
Zak Vyner has been a mainstay for Bristol City, though his 20-year stay has been punctuated by a couple of loan spells.
The English-born defender ditched the Robbins to join the ambitious Wrexham owned by Hollywood actors. Wrexham are attempting to gain promotion to the Premier League on the first time of asking, making it a competitive step for Vyner in England’s second division.
He is yet to feature for the national team, but he is someone McCarthy could now look at intently for future assignments.
Source: Twitter
5. Collins Sichenje – Charlton Athletic (England)
Sichenje sealed the deadline day move to Charlton Athletic and could soon be rubbing shoulders with Vyner.
The former AFC Leopards defender left Serbia’s top-flight to move to England, where he could become an important cog in Nathan Jones side, staying up.
Other mentions
Ryan Ogam could easily have made the list, but the former Tusker man hasn’t gotten the start he dreamt of in Austria. The CHAN 2024 hero hasn’t featured for his Wolfsberger side since October, in what is now a concerning development.
Former Gor Mahia star Austine Odhiambo joined Lebanese giants Nejmeh SC, but the quality of the league has caused much debate in football circles.
The core of McCarthy’s team that starred in CHAN 2024 remains locally based, with other stars emerging, including the current top scorer, Paul Okoth.
Why Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards rivalry is good for Kenyan football
Additionally, the Gor Mahia vs AFC Leopards rivalry will be good for the national team as it will encourage competitiveness.
The two rivals are going toe-to-toe for the title, which is the first time Ingwe have been involved in a title race for a long while.
Defending champions Kenya Police have fallen off the pace.
Proofreading by Jackson Otukho, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
