Leicester City allowed Wesley Fofana to complete a move to Chelsea in the latter stages of the summer transfer window and added Wout Faes to their squad on the deadline day.
Prior to signing Faes, the Premier League side had showed interest in Gent’s Joseph Okumu.
That’s according to today’s edition of Gazet van Antwerpen, who state the Jupiler Pro League side didn’t want to let go of the defender unless they received ‘crazy money’. They had requested at least €15m in the last window.
The Kenya international struggled earlier in his career, so much so that he took a break after a disappointing spell with South African side, Free State Stars. His situation improved after joining Swedish club IF Elfsborg, and that helped him get a move to Gent in 2021.
Okumu’s performances for the Belgian club attracted interest from Brendan Rodgers’ side and Monaco. The centre-back could have left Gent in the final week of the last window, ‘to Leicester or Monaco’. The failure to get a move has not disappointed him.
“Four years ago, I was still struggling, now they offer millions for me. I now understand that Gent had a higher goal: to play for the championship,” he told Gazet van Antwerpen.
“I also find that more interesting than earning three times as much elsewhere and just sitting there for the rest. I just hope the club never gets selfish and one day only looks at self-interest.”
“But not all the pieces of the puzzle fell together. I am very afraid of ending up in something like South Africa again. I still have a contract here, a salary.
“Suppose I am disappointed and impress upon myself that I already have the level for Monaco or Leicester. Then I am now only at Gent. Then you start to look down on the people here. I never want that. That’s why I’m not disappointed. I’m alive today. Tomorrow will make its own plan.”
