Kenya Under-20 football captain Amos Wanjala is on the verge of signing with Spanish club Elche CF, in what would be a major milestone in his budding career.
The deal is expected to be confirmed soon, coming just days after fellow Kenyan youth international Adrian Kibet’s €6 million (Sh900 million) transfer to La Liga side Celta Vigo.
Wanjala rose to national prominence for his standout performances as captain of the Kenya U20 team and his instrumental role in leading St. Anthony’s Boys School, Kitale, to the national secondary school games title in 2023.
He has also featured for the Kenya U23 side at the COSAFA Cup.
Following his breakthrough, Wanjala, alongside Aldrine Kibet and Alvin Kasavuli, moved to Spain to join the Nàstic Sports Academy in Tarragona.
Their transfer was facilitated under the government-backed Talanta Hela initiative spearheaded by former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba.
Wanjala’s imminent move to Elche CF, a Spanish La Liga outfit, marks a significant step not only in his professional journey but also for Kenyan football at large.
His teammate Aldrine Kibet, who starred alongside him at St. Anthony’s, recently completed a high-profile move to Celta Vigo. Kibet had an exceptional run at the 2023 Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association (KSSSA) national tournament, where he was named MVP and top scorer after netting 25 goals and providing 27 assists.
The duo are now poised to join the ranks of McDonald Mariga and Michael Olunga, the only Kenyans to have played in the Spanish top tier.
Mariga had stints at Real Sociedad and Real Oviedo, while Olunga famously scored a 22-minute hat-trick for Girona FC, becoming the first Kenyan to do so in La Liga.