Harambee Stars forward Michael Olunga with Djurgardens IF sporting director, Bosse Andersson when completing a four-year move to the Swedish club on February 17, 2016. PHOTO/Courtesy
NAIROBI, February 17 – Former Gor Mahia forward Michael Olunga has completed his move to Swedish top tier side Djurgårdens IF after penning down a four year contract.
The 2015 Footballer of the Year sealed the deal after attending three-week-long trials with the club’s pre-season in Turkey and impressed the technical bench after scoring twice in four build-up games.
The third year geospatial engineering student at Technical University of Kenya, will continue with his studies at University of Stockholm where he intends to join in the next intake.
“I want to continue with my engineering studies at the University of Stockholm so I will apply and hopefully join soon,” Olunga stated.
Djurgårdens sporting director Bosse Andersson heaped praise on Olunga, describing the 21-year-old as ambitious, hard working purposeful.
“We have been following Michael for a long time, and he had the qualities we were looking for. After a long process and dialogue since he joined us in January, I’m happy to announce that the deal has finally been sealed.
“He trains hard and always wants to learn. I think he made a fantastic impression as a person both on and off the pitch. The development potential is huge so in our peaceful environment he can develop into a striker that will play in the biggest leagues in Europe,” Andersson told the club’s official website.
Olunga who will don shirt number 17, has vowed to continue scoring as he hopes to achieve his dream of playing in one of the major European leagues.
“The association has received me in a great way and I want to say a big thanks to the management, players and fans who received me in a nice way. It has been a challenge but it feels good now.
“Previously I had the jersey number 19 in Gor Mahia and scored 19 goals so we’ll see if I’ll get 17 goals at the end of the season. I expect to leave the club better than I found it, I will do my best to take the club to the next level, possibly take them to Champions League or Europa which is the club’s dream,” Olunga, underscored.
The Harambee Stars forward has five goals in nine appearances for the national football team and scored 19 goals in last year’s Kenyan Premier League to finish runner-up in the Golden Boot gong won by Jesse Were who found the back of the net 22 times.
Olunga spent one season in Gor where he inspired the record 15-times national champions lift their third successive KPL title unbeaten.
He was the top scorer at the CECAFA Kagame Cup with five goals, helping Gor finish runners-up after losing 2-0 to Tanzanian side Azam FC.
