McCarthy promises to keep tabs on new Celta player Aldrine Kibet
By Luke Oluoch, July 16, 2025Kenyan national team coach Benni McCarthy praised Kenya U20 prospect Aldrene Kibet following his move to Spanish top-tier side Celta Vigo.
Speaking on his switch from Nastic Sports Academy to the La Liga outfit, McCarty said he will be keeping tabs on the prospect after the remarkable step-up in his career progress.
The coach also tipped the star of the Rising Stars team that represented Kenya in the AFCON U20 games a couple of months ago in Egypt to benefit from the switch, courtesy of the club’s reputation for producing young football talents.
“I have seen him numerous times. He was part of the Spanish academy. It is great; it is a nice city. I lived there for seven years and was married to a girl from Vigo,” he said.
Amazing
“For a young player, you have a good pathway because Celta Vigo produces a lot of good young players who find themselves playing for the first team. So he couldn’t have gone to a better team. I will follow his progress. I wanted to include him in the CHAN squad because he was only part of the academy; he has now ended up signing for Celta, which is amazing,” he said.
The attacking midfielder will join up with the reserve team, Celta Fortuna, on a four-year deal that will keep him at the club until 2029, where he is expected to continue his development and push for a place in the senior squad.
The 18-year-old caught the attention of Celta Vigo scouts after an impressive showing with Kenya’s U20 national team, where he scored four goals in five appearances. His creativity, vision, and eye for goal have earned him praise as a rising talent in East African football.
Kibet’s football journey began at St. Anthony’s Boys High School in Kitale, where he captained the team to a national championship title at the 2023 KSSSA games. He was named MVP and top scorer, with a staggering 25 goals and 27 assists, a standout performance that marked him as one of Kenya’s brightest prospects.
After the tournament, and under the Talanta Hela initiative launched by then Sports CS Ababu Namwamba, Kibet earned a move to Nastic Sports Academy in Spain, which laid the foundation for this major career leap.