Revealed: How Job Ochieng Came Close to Ksh60 Million Transfer from Real Sociedad

Harambee Stars forward Job Ochieng is basking in the glory of his Man of the Match performance for Real Sociedad on Monday but he could be playing for a different team now were it not for a smart decision.

Ochieng scored his first La Liga goal and added two assists as Sociedad beat Elche 3-2 in a Spanish top flight on Monday night, writing a new chapter of his history in his young football career.

The 23-year-old was playing his second game of the season, having started against Real Madrid last month, and he delivered the goods for coach Pellegrino Matarazzo’s side.

Having shuttled between the second-string and senior team last season, Ochieng was fully made a member of the first team this campaign, largely due to the fact that rules prohibit players who are 23 and older from playing for both the junior and senior sides.

However, even before that, it has now emerged that Ochieng had an opportunity to leave the club for a fee in the region of Ksh60 million before Matarazzo blocked the move.

According to Spanish outlet El Rincon de la Real, Ochieng had an agreement with Spanish second division side Real Mallorca in February to join them this summer but Matarazzo vetoed the move.

"Ochieng had an agreement in February with Mallorca to leave in the summer for 400,000 euros (Ksh60 million) and Matarazzo asked Real to make an effort on the renewal and convince the player that he's going to have a spot,” the outlet reports.

That was before Ochieng was handed a new contract which he signed early this year, running until 2028, and when the season ended, Matarazzo has been true to his word by handing him opportunities.

Ochieng was part of Sociedad’s pre-season squad and was then subsequently included in the first team ahead of the 2026-27 La Liga campaign.

That decision from Matarazzo is paying off as Ochieng does not just bring goals but also works hard off the ball, is strong in one-on-one situations and troubles opposition defences with vertical runs in behind.

He is also good at tracking back runners, acting as another layer of defence for his team when they are under attack.

“Job is a very interesting athletic physical profile,” Matarazzo said of Ochieng after Monday’s win. “He is not just fast and can run 35km, he can repeat that very often in a match. He has very good endurance.”

“He is someone who understands what we need. He understands his strengths and I feel he used it very well today until the end of the match,” the American coach stated.