Reports: Kashiwa reach agreement with Qatari side over Olunga's transfer

Michael Olunga

Kashiwa Reysol's Kenyan striker Michael Olunga (left) receives his J-League Golden Boot Award on December 22, 2020.

Photo credit: File | J League

What you need to know:

  • With the latest reports of Reysol accepting the six-million Euros bid, Al-Duhail is now free to open talks with the centre-forward who had recently extended his contract with Kashiwa to January 31, 2023
  • If Olunga and Al-Duhail agree terms and he joins the side, he will be the second high profile player to play in Qatar’s topflight league after Dennis ‘The Menace’ Oliech



The ball is now in Michael Olunga’s court after reports said on Friday that his club Kashiwa Reysol have accepted an Sh806 million bid from Qatar Star League champions Al-Duhail SC for the transfer of the Kenyan ace.

Olunga, who will turn 27 on March 27, has been on the radar of the Qatari side for months. However, reports of ongoing negotiations between Kashiwa and Al-Duhail surfaced at the turn of the year.

With the latest reports of Reysol accepting the six-million Euros bid, Al-Duhail is now free to open talks with the centre-forward who had recently extended his contract with Kashiwa to January 31, 2023.

It is believed that Reysol had placed a price tag of close to Sh1 billion (Euros 7 million) for suitors of the 2020 J1 League Golden Boot winner and Player of the Year.

Olunga, who reports indicate earns Sh85 million per year at Reysol, has had two scintillating seasons in Japan.

He scored 27 goals and provided nine assists for Reysol as they won the second-tier league (J2 League) in 2019.

Olunga went a notch higher in 2020 by inspiring Coach Nelsinho’s side to a seventh-place finish in the top-tier (J1 League) with 28 goals and four assists.

There have been several departures at Reysol since the conclusion of the 2020 season on January 4, 2021, including the permanent move of Brazilian Jose Antonio dos Santos Junior, who was on loan at Yokohama F. Marinos, to Sanfrecce Hiroshima.  

If Olunga and Al-Duhail agree terms and he joins the side, he will be the second high profile player to play in Qatar’s topflight league after Dennis ‘The Menace’ Oliech who donned Al-Arabi's shirt between 2003 and 2005.

Now retired, Oliech was regarded by The Guardian newspaper as one of the world's most wanted young players in a list which included future stars such as Wayne Rooney and Robin Van Persie.

Oliech, who reports claimed was offered and refused hundreds of millions of Kenyan shillings to switch to Qatari citizenship, went on to play in France for Nantes, Auxerre and Ajaccio, United Arab Emirates’ Dubai CSC before retiring at Gor Mahia in 2019.