Exclusive: Reims' Joseph Okumu Urged to Follow Agbadou's Path to England or Spain for Greater Heights

Stade de Reims centre-half Joseph Okumu has been advised to follow in the footsteps of his former partner, at the heart of the defence, Emmanuel Agbadou and ditch the French Ligue 1 for a move to either England or Spain in the summer.

Agbadou left Reims for English Premier League side Wolves last Thursday, signing a deal that will keep him at Molineux for the next four and half years, with the option to extend it by an additional 12 months.

Before his £16.6 million move to Wolves, the 27-year-old defender had formed a rock-solid partnership with Okumu at the french outlet. 

Given the strong interest clubs plying trade in Europe's top leagues have had in Okumu before, the 1.90 metres tall defender has been counseled to either join Agbadou in England or move to Spain in the summer.

Italian giants AS Roma came close to signing Okumu in the past summer with Arsenal, West Ham United and Borussia Dortmund also reportedly keeping a close eye on the defender.

OKUMU SHOULD TAKE RISK

Dennis Oliech, a man who understands the French Ligue 1 inside out, having made 217 appearances and scored 31 goals during his active years, has urged Okumu to take the risk and preferably move to England at the end of the current season.

The former striker told Okumu's handlers to strive and ensure he becomes the second Kenyan player to grace the EPL after former Southampton and Tottenham defensive midfielder Victor Wanyama.

Wanyama made history by becoming the first Kenyan to play in the English top tier, having featured for the Saints from July 2013 to June 2016 and Spurs between 2016 and 2020.

Oliech termed Okumu ripe for English football, having demonstrated class in France and his track record in the Belgian and Swedish top leagues as well as European football.

The former FC Nantes and AJ Auxerre striker challenged Okumu and his handlers to capitalise on the strong interests from the bigger leagues and make the move in July.

The former AJ Ajaccio forward warned Okumu that sticking with the French competition for long could significantly erode his value and may never realise his full potential.

"He has to move to the English Premier League in the summer. He has what it takes to thrive in England or in Spain. Okumu has punched above his weight in France, Belgium and Sweden and ought to test himself in a bigger competition, begining next season. The good thing is there have been interests before from English clubs and his agent should make it happen in July," Oliech told SportsBoom.com. 

WHY OKUMU SHOULD PICK ENGLAND OVER ITALY

Despite the strong interest from Roma and the reported links to Atalanta, Oliech outlined reasons why the former Elfsborg defender should not join the Italian Serie A.

Oliech said Okumu leaving France for Italy would not represent an upgrade commensurate to his current market value, football ability and the expectations the legendary Kenyan striker has in him.

The former Kenyan captain and second-best goal scorer of all time further expressed fears that Okumu may face difficulties in adapting to the Italian culture.

Although he labelled him as a resilient player, who had overcame all manner of challenges to rise to the top, he said the Italian culture and 'off the pitch issues' had the potential to puncture his progress.

"His style of play may not be compatible with the demands of the Italian league. Again, his qualities and quick rise suggest that he is better suited for either the EPL or the La Liga. The Italian culture might also not favour him at all. I have seen several African players fail to adapt to Italian football, not because they are not good enough, but have struggled to blend in," he opened up.

AVOID ASIAN FOOTBALL, MONEY

In recent years, the world has witnessed players leaving top European leagues for Asia at their prime with the allure of making a killing being identified as one of the inspirations behind the shocking transfers.

Without mincing his words, the outspoken Oliech warned Okumu against taking the Asian route, arguing that the 27-year-old is too good to leave European football.

He urged the former Real Monarchs to resist the temptation of moving to Asia as he stands to achieve big in Europe as compared to the rest of the competitions.

"I do not understand why young players are finding it easy to leave Europe for Asia. I have nothing against the Asian leagues or players following their dreams. I know there is a lot of money involved but for me, the bigger picture matters a lot. Someone like Okumu will end up winning big cups in Europe, making a bigger name and earning better pay in Europe than Asia," he added.