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Olunga extends contract at Kashiwa Reysol


Michael Olunga has reportedly penned a contract extension at Kashiwa Reysol while dismissing speculation he could be set for a return to Europe.

The Kenyan forward has been among the best performers in Japan’s top-flight league this season. He’s found the back of the net 26 times in 32 matches and currently is the runaway top scorer.

These performances have increased speculation he may be on the radar of seasoned clubs in Germany, France, Turkey, and England.

That said, the 26-year old’s initial contract at Reysol was set to lapse in January of 2020 but he’s now reportedly put pen to paper on better terms and will remain in Hitachi until 2022.

“I don’t want to talk about transfers or anything like that. Now, I’m working hard for Reysol,” he told Mainichi online.

The development could provide mixed reactions to many of Olunga’s fans in East Africa, most of whom were vouching for him to make a return to Europe and especially test himself in the English Premier League, which is the most popular football competition in Kenya.

Since leaving Gor Mahia in 2015, Olunga has turned out for Sweden club Djurgardens where he scored 12 league goals in 13 matches.

He’s played at China’s Zhicheng FC, and La Liga club Girona, where he scored a hat-trick against Las Palmas, before settling in at Reysol.

Even though he missed Harambee Stars last two 2021 Africa Nations Cup qualification matches against Comoros in November, Olunga is expected to be Kenya’s main player ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers which commence in 2021.ends