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The Harambee Stars defender is expected back in training on Tuesday as he seeks to impress his new coach ahead of Sunday’s friendly tie.
Harambee Stars defender Joseph Okumu has one more tune-up match before he begins his Ligue 1 season with his new side Stade de Reims who will clash away to Olympique Marseille on Saturday 12 August.
However, before then, Okumu has a friendly match against Serie A side Torino at the Auguste Delaune Stadium on Sunday 6 August in what will be Reims’ final pre-season clash before the 2023-24 campaign begins.
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07:38 - 31.07.2023
STARS ABROAD Revealed: Why Joseph Okumu was stretchered off after 21 minutes of his Reims debut
The Kenyan defender was feared to have been injured after going down early before missing Saturday’s friendly against Real Zaragoza.
Okumu was not involved in Reims’ match with Spanish side Real Zaragoza on Saturday, a match Will Still’s men won 2-1, having been taken off after just 21 minutes of his debut for the club during their friendly with Getafe last Wednesday.
Okumu was feared to have sustained a hamstring injury but his agent has since clarified that it was not an injury but rather “stiffness in his legs due to double pre-season” and he is expected back in pre-season on Tuesday.
It is good news for Okumu’s fans and he will be keen to impress during training so that he can be selected for Sunday’s clash which will be the final assessment for Reims’ Belgian tactician before he settles on his starting XI for the tough league opener at Stade Velodrome.
Okumu joined Reims for €12 million (Ksh1.8 billion) over a week ago after agreeing on a five-year deal from Belgian top-flight side KAA Gent where he spent two hugely successful years.
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08:04 - 27.07.2023
STARS ABROAD Joseph Okumu’s much anticipated Stade Reims debut turns sour
The lanky defender was making his debut for the French club against Getafe.
The Kenya international was a mainstay in the Gent defence and enhanced his reputation during the 2022-23 campaign when the Belgian side reached the Europe Conference League quarter-final.
His form attracted a number of teams in Europe’s major leagues before Reims won the race for his signature, making him the second Kenyan to sign for a Ligue 1 side since the mercurial striker Dennis Oliech.
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