Gor Mahia confirm interest in Sofapaka hitman

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Gor Mahia head coach Hassan Oktay has admitted that he is interested in signing Sofapaka and Harambee Stars striker, John Avire before the 2019/20 Kenyan Premier League campaign kicks on at the end of August.

Avire scored seven league goals for Sofapaka last season and was rewarded with a slot in the Harambee Stars squad that took part in the African Cup of Nations in Egypt.

The attacker has been in the limelight in recent days after Sofapaka claimed that Robert Muthomi attempted to sell the player to an unnamed Egyptian club. Muthomi has since stepped aside from his position as Football Kenya Federation Chief Executive Officer to allow for investigations into abuse of office charges leveled against him by Batoto Ba Mungu president Elly Kalekwa.

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K’Ogalo is looking for a striker to replace Rwandese forward Jacques Tuyusenge who quit the club for Angolan giants Petro Atletico and coach Oktay believes that the former Bandari, Kakamega Homeboyz, and Mt. Kenya United striker can fill the void left by Tuyisenge.

“I need just one striker to replace Tuyisenge and my team will be complete. We lost the best striker we had in the whole league and we have to get an able replacement. I have several players in mind but I think Avire suits that position. He is young, hardworking, strong, overall he is a quality player. The best part is that he is young and I can make him even a better player. My chairman knows that I am interested in him and hopefully we will get him,” he told Opera News.

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An alumnus of Nyandarua’s  Passenga High School, Avire began his career with Thika United youth team before moving to Bandari in 2016. He was loaned out to Kakamega Homeboyz in January 2017 but lasted for just six months before returning to his parent club. Lack of playtime at Bandari saw him move to Mt. Kenya United in June 2018. After five months with Mt. Kenya United, he joined Sofapaka in November 2018.

After his team was knocked out of the Cecafa Kagame Cup, Oktay suggested that his team was far from complete and that they needed to sign three more players. He stated that he needed two strikers and a winger.  The coach now says he only needs one more player. He admitted that he may have spoken out of anger after the Cecafa Kagame Cup defeat.

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“You know when you speak immediately after a game, sometimes you are emotional you may say things that are not true. I am happy with the players I have, we have strengthened the team with some good young players and we are in a good position to compete. We just need one striker and we will be good to go,” he added.

Gor Mahia has so far signed seven players. The newly acquired players are; Dickson Ambundo, David Mapigano, Curtis Wekesa, Dennis Oalo, Abdalla Shira, Tobias Otieno, and Elvis Ronack. Eight players have exited the club. They are; Castro Ogendo, Cersidy Okeyo, Pascal Ogweno, Erisa Ssekisambu, Francis Kahata, Jacques Tuyisenge, and Shaban Odhoji.

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