Days after announcing his exit from Qatar Stars League side Al-Duhail, experienced Kenyan national team captain and forward Michael Olunga is in formal talks with another of the country’s powerhouses, Al-Arabi, Footy-Africa can exclusively confirm.
The 30-year-old, now a free agent, is in advanced negotiations with Al-Arabi, who are looking to finalize the deal in the coming days. They are currently leading the race, which also includes Japanese top-flight club Urawa Red Diamonds.
A source close to the player’s representatives, EMG Mundial, revealed that Al-Arabi have made formal contact and are in pole position to sign the prolific forward. However, the source stressed that no agreement has been reached yet, despite recent reports. The source also explained why talks over a new contract with Al-Duhail collapsed, even though negotiations were at an advanced stage.
“Al-Arabi made contact on Tuesday, and talks have been ongoing for days. An agreement is close, but it hasn’t been finalized yet. They are moving fast to beat competition from other Asian sides, including Urawa Red Diamonds, who are also interested. He (Olunga) is a free agent because Al-Duhail failed to meet his demands for a contract extension, despite months of negotiations,” the source told Footy-Africa exclusively.
In the recently concluded season with Al-Duhail, Olunga scored 17 goals and provided three assists in 25 matches. He has cemented his name in the league’s history, becoming Al-Duhail’s all-time leading scorer with 130 goals.
Olunga’s career began in Kenya, where he developed at Tusker FC and Gor Mahia before moving abroad. His journey has taken him through Sweden (Djurgårdens IF), China (Guizhou Zhicheng), and Spain (Girona in La Liga).
He also had a successful spell in Japan with Kashiwa Reysol, where he won the Golden Boot in 2020, scoring an impressive 28 goals in just 32 matches. On the international stage, Olunga has made 59 appearances for the Kenya national team, the Harambee Stars, scoring 30 goals.
