Joseph Okumu made the “right decision” when joining Belgian outfit KRC Genk despite interest from Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers, former Kenya international Mike Kisaghi has told Goal.
Given that Genk have a fine track record when it comes to finding, developing and selling on exciting young talent, the ball-playing centre-half is unlikely to regret his £3 million switch to the Jupiler League.
In recent years, Sander Berge, Joakim Maehle, Leandro Trossard, Ruslan Malinovskyi and Wesley Moraes have all honed their talents at the Luminus Arena before sealing big-money moves to a major European league.
And Okumu, should he live up to those comparisons with a certain Virgil van Dijk, will be following in their footsteps before long.
Genk confirmed the defender’s arrival this week, fighting off competition from Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers along the way.
And, according to Kisaghi, Okumu may be plying his trade in the Premier League before long as he expects the 23-year-old to thrive in his new surroundings.
Will Celtic and Rangers wish they’d signed Joseph Okumu?
“(Okumu) has made the right decision as per what his heart picked,” says Kisaghi, a legend of Kenyan football.
“Let us stop attacking him (and saying) he should have moved to France or Scotland. He knows why he picked Belgium and, by the way, he may not stay long in that league.
“We have several scouts in Belgium and, if he stays fit and earns regular playing time, he could soon move to England.
“There is always a starting point in anything you do. He has started in Belgium and I know the next destination will shock many.”
Okumu made his name at Swedish outfit Elfsborg and has even been described by the club’s sporting director as the finest centre-half to play in the Allsvenskan.
That’s quite a claim when you consider the division is almost 100 years old.
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