Harambee Stars’ defender Joseph Okumu is reportedly on the verge of a move to French Ligue 1 ahead of the new season.

The player has been strongly linked with a transfer away from KAA Gent, with French publication Lequipe.fr reporting that Gent has reached an agreement with Reims.

Joseph Okumu deal worth

The reported deal is said to be worth around Kshs. 1.8 Billion, but there remains uncertainty as negotiations on personal terms are yet to be finalized.

Reims, seeking to bolster their defensive line, is eager to secure Okumu’s services and put him in competition with their current defenders Yunis Abdelhamid and Emmanuel Agbadou.

According to Lequipe.fr, an agreement with Gent has been reached for a transfer fee of slightly less than €12 million.

However, the final decision lies with the 26-year-old Kenyan international, who stands at an imposing 1.93 meters. Both parties need to find common ground on a four-year contract to complete the deal.

“Reims may have found the central defender they were looking for to put Yunis Abdelhamid and Emmanuel Agbadou in competition. After the failure of the track leading to Adamo Nagalo (Nordsjaelland, Denmark), the Marnais club attacked Joseph Okumu,” Lequipe.fr reports.

“An agreement has been reached in recent days with La Gantoise, for an amount slightly less than €12 million. It remains in Reims to find common ground with the 26-year-old Kenyan international (1.93m), around a four-year lease,” The publication added.

Joseph Okumu’s addition/career

Reims, who finished 11th last season, sees Okumu as a crucial addition to strengthen their squad and improve their performance in the upcoming season.

Okumu has been making waves in the football world, and his recent elevation to assistant captain at Gent speaks volumes about his talent and leadership qualities.

His career trajectory started at Chemelil Sugar before moving on to Free State Stars and AFC Ann Arbor.

With a standout season at AFC Ann Arbor in 2018, making eight league appearances, Okumu caught the attention of USL Championship side Real Monarchs, where he spent a year before joining Swedish Allsvenskan outfit IF Elfsborg in August 2019.

The 26-year-old’s impressive performances didn’t go unnoticed, and Belgian club Gent secured his services on June 21, 2021, further solidifying his professional career and making him a highly sought-after player in the transfer market.

On the international stage, Joseph Okumu’s journey began with the Kenyan Under-21 and Under-23 teams before making his senior national team debut in 2016. Since then, his contributions to the Harambee Stars have been invaluable, earning him accolades and attention from clubs worldwide.