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NAIROBI, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan international Eric Ouma has quit domestic club Gor Mahia for Georgia after a breakthrough season where he forced his way into the country's national football team.
Ouma, 20, who is a marauding left-back who can also play in an advanced role, is reported to have penned a three-year deal with FC Kolkheti who play in the top flight competition of the European nation.
He rejected a trial with Belgian league side KAA Gent to sign with the Georgians who assured him a place in their first team with an option to move on after six months.
The deal for the promising Kenyan was brokered by the Sport Innovation Agency which is managed by Roger Henrotay, a former Belgian international.
Henrotay's agency is reputed for representing among others English Premier League leaders Chelsea goal-keeper Thibaut Courtois and Everton FC winger Kevin Mirallas.
Ouma signed an initial six-month deal with Gor, the record 15-time Kenyan domestic champions who lost their crown last season after holding on to it for three years in a row to rivals Tusker FC.
In June, Gent came calling but the player who made his debut for the national team in the same month opted to extend his stay at the country's most popular club for the same period where he was aiming to sign off as a domestic double winner.
However, it was not to be after Tusker swept both league and GOtv Shield domestic cup titles as Gor ended trophy-less hastening Ouma's decision to move on.
"Everyone in Africa dreams of playing in Europe and I' m no exception. I want to fully utilize my potential in better leagues, we have players in Europe who are of the same age playing competitively and I'm no different," Ouma said.
"When I joined Gor in December 2015, I had an aim of moving to USA for studies by April that's why we opted for six months. It didn't materialize and in June, I got an offer to join Gent in Belgium but I decided to stay because I wanted to win titles with Gor especially the league and the GOTv Shield," the player said.
He has been an integral part of the Kenyan national team that has gone seven matches unbeaten after missing out on qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations that starts in Gabon on Jan. 14. Enditem
