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Harambee Starlets striker Esse Akida is still without a club since leaving Greek giants PAOK in July but she is not jumping at offers coming her way over a number of reasons.
Harambee Starlets forward Esse Akida is not in a hurry to join a new club if she does not get a well-paying offer.
Akida ended her three-year stay with Greek giants PAOK in July but has not found a new home yet even after the new season kicked off weeks ago across various leagues.
However, as a free agent, she can sign for a club any time and she is taking her time before deciding her next move as she feels her next contract has to be the right one given she is entering the twilight years of her career.
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10:22 - 13.07.2024
From shy girl to football star: The inspiring journey of Kenyan football star Esse Akida
Esse Akida is a beacon of hope for young Kenyan girls who aspire to make it to the National team and break into the global stage.
“I am waiting for any mouth-watering deal if it comes my way and I hope for the best,” the 31-year-old Kilifi native told Pulse Sports.
“I am still active, doing my practice like any other player, I still say that I am on my pre-season and if anything comes along well and good but if not, I am patient enough. I could wait as long as the January window,” she added.
“I am looking forward to something better than what I had before. I would like to go back to Europe but at the moment, I don’t care where as long as I am playing for the right price. I am at a stage in my life where money talks. I have received one or two [offers] but not my preference and I am waiting for something better.”
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12:17 - 12.07.2024
Harambee Starlets forward ends three-year stay with Greek giants
The former Thika Queens attacker has opted not to extend her stay in Greece following the expiry of her contract.
Akida joined PAOK in 2021 after leaving Turkish side Besiktas and became an instant hit, winning the Golden Boot award after bagging 17 goals in 18 games in her first season in Greece, before managing 12 league goals the following season.
That saw the club hand her a one-year contract extension, to fend off interest from Germany, Scotland and Finland, and went on to win a league and cup double in her third year while she also featured in the lucrative UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The striker has been using her free time to good effect and that includes launching a book to tell her story. Akida launched her biography titled “Chained” in September and says she felt compelled to bring to the fore the struggles she has experienced as a female footballer and what other girls face in the sport.
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12:06 - 16.08.2024
Chained: Kenyan girl describes her nervous foray into Israel for a professional football contract
Harambee Starlets forward Esse Akida has penned her football experience in a book set to be launched soon.
“I felt chained for a long time and I thought it was the right time to bite the bullet, to stand up and speak for other girls because so many girls are afraid of talking of the constraints that we go through in the game just because of fear of stigmatization and being isolated from the game,” said Akida.
The former Thika Queens attacker also had a one-year stint in Israel, where she played for Ramat HaSharon before joining Besiktas.
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