Kenya's U20 football team skipper, Amos Wanjala, is poised to sign a lush deal with Spanish club Elche CF, joining fellow U20 player Aldrine Kibet in making a transition to LaLiga. Wanjala's move to Elche CF is expected to be finalised soon, marking a significant step in his football career.
Also scheduled to join Celta Vigo on the same day is Aldrine Kibet, a promising U20 player whose parents are already in Spain for logistical reasons.
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has been a key supporter of these moves, having previously facilitated their transfer to Nastic Academy in Spain.
Namwamba expressed pride in Wanjala and Kibet's accomplishments, emphasising the importance of their success for Kenyan football. “Congratulations, my boys Aldrine Kibet and Amos Wanjala, for the giant step to the elite Spanish LaLiga,” he said.
“We dreamt big, we believed, it is here! Celta Vigo and Elche CF, respectively. Aldrine is scheduled for his medical at 11 am, followed by the signing ceremony at 1 pm (Spanish time).”
The success of Wanjala and Kibet is seen as part of a larger pool of emerging Kenyan football talents, including Alvin Kasavuli and Luis Ingavi.
“It is even more satisfying that our Aldrine-Amos seed pool of talents is big. It includes other exciting players like Alvin Kasavuli and Luis Ingavi,” Namwamba said.
Namwamba attributes these advancements to the Talanta Hela programme, which aims to develop and monetise local athletic talent.
The programme is designed to identify and nurture talent from grassroots levels through structured initiatives, culminating in elite professional opportunities.
Kenya U20 Aldrine Kibet / HANDOUT
“For those who wondered or questioned Talanta Hela, these are the fruits of a revolutionary vision, which revolves around identifying, nurturing and monetising and executing in a deliberate, intentional, and structured way. From school ball games, through the Kenya Academy of Sports, to Nastic Soccer Academy in Tarragona, and now into elite professional football," said Namwamba.
He underlined the necessity of ongoing investments in sports facilities and youth development for Kenyan football to thrive in the future.
Recent improvements in sports facilities, according to Namwamba, are essential for helping young athletes advance to the professional ranks.
“The surest path to the top for Kenyan football lies in focused youth investment, coupled with serious infrastructure development,” he said.
“That is what we did with Talanta Sports City along Ngong Road and with the refurbishment of Kasarani and Nyayo Stadia under the Talanta Hela Sports Infrastructure Masterplan.”
Both Kibet and Wanjala rose to national fame after showcasing grit and talent that steered St Anthony's Boys School, Kitale, to the secondary school games national trophy in 2023.
The development marks a pivotal moment not only in their burgeoning careers but also in the broader narrative of Kenyan football.
