English Club Charlton Keen to Unite Collins Sichenje with Harambee Stars Teammate

Kenyan international Timothy Ouma is reportedly on the radar of English Championship side Charlton Athletic for the upcoming season, following the breakdown of a potential transfer to Serbian powerhouse Partizan Belgrade.

According to Mozzart Sport, Charlton are exploring a permanent deal for the 22-year-old midfielder, with the transfer potentially being finalised as early as this week. A successful move to The Valley would see Ouma play alongside Harambee Stars teammate Collins Sichenje, competing in England's second tier and potentially a move to the Premier League in future.

This interest from England comes after Ouma's anticipated switch to Partizan collapsed. The Harambee Stars player was reportedly on the verge of joining the Serbian club on a season-long loan with an option to make the move permanent. Ouma was said to be enthusiastic about the transfer, where he was seen as a replacement for departing club captain Vanja Dragojevic, who recently joined Scottish side Rangers.

However, the deal fell apart when Slavia Prague, Ouma's parent club, allegedly altered the financial terms of the loan. The Czech club demanded a higher fee than Partizan, who are reportedly facing financial constraints, were willing to pay. After waiting for Slavia to reconsider, Partizan ultimately abandoned the pursuit and shifted their focus to Ghanaian international Iddrisu Baba from Spanish club Almería.

It is not yet clear whether Charlton's interest in Ouma developed before or after the Partizan deal collapsed. Before the negotiations broke down, Partizan's sporting director, Radosav Petrovic, had praised the Kenyan midfielder.

"We received excellent recommendations. There are many important details about him, and we believe Ouma would mean a lot to us in midfield. He is a physically dominant player, very good positionally, and someone who can bring balance to our midfield," Petrović stated.

Ouma began his professional career with Nairobi City Stars before moving to Europe, first with Swedish side IF Elfsborg and then to Slavia Prague. He spent last season on loan at Polish club Lech Poznań, where he contributed to their league title victory and gained experience in the UEFA Conference League.

The prospect of Ouma joining Charlton has already sparked excitement among the club's supporters, with many expressing admiration for his passing range and midfield prowess after reviewing his performance clips online.