Kenyan midfielder sparks speculation of Saudi transfer after meeting former Manchester United striker

Kenyan midfielder Mohamed Katana when he met Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo in Jeddah. Photo: Mohamed Katana Instagram

FOOTBALL Kenyan midfielder sparks speculation of Saudi transfer after meeting former Manchester United striker

Joel Omotto 10:08 - 29.03.2024

The former Bandari midfielder has left fans speculating whether he is about to ditch his Swedish club for the mega-rich Saudi Pro League after meeting a top Nigerian striker in Jeddah.

Former Bandari FC midfielder Mohamed Katana has expressed his delight after meeting Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, June 28.

Katana, who plays for Swedish side Vasalund, met with Ighalo in Jeddah and the two had discussions their football careers with the Nigerian hoping the Kenyan would join him at Saudi side Al Wehda, where he plays, soon.

“Good to meet you. Hopefully you come here and play so we could see [each other] more again,” Ighalo told Katana.

The two met courtesy of Saudi’s Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Saud, who served as the country’s deputy minister of foreign affairs from 2011 to 2015.

The businessman has organised a tournament, whose final will be played on Saturday, March 30, which the two stars will grace.

It is not known if Katana’s presence signals a need to switch clubs since he rarely gets opportunities to play at Vasalund.

Katana joined Vasalund from FC Isloch Minsk Raion of Belarus in 2021, having left Bandari in 2019.

The midfielder received his first Harambee Stars call-up for a friendly match against Zambia in October 2020 but did not play, having been an unused substitute.

Meanwhile, former Watford and Manchester United striker Ighalo has settled at Al Wehda after being forced out of Al Hilal when the Saudi giants went on a signing spree of big names from European sides.

Ighalo had won the Saudi Pro League with Al Hilal in the 2021-22 season, when he also claimed the Golden Boot, but that was not enough when the allure of European-based superstars became too much to resist for the Saudi clubs.

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